Supermarkets in Germany don’t give shoppers plastic bags

As someone born and raised in HCMC but now living and working in Germany, I have noticed stark differences in how cleanliness is maintained between large cities in Vietnam, such as Hanoi and HCMC, and those in developed countries.

During my annual visits, I often shop at markets in HCMC. After purchasing around ten items, I would typically end up with nearly 20 plastic bags of various sizes. On one occasion, I brought my own plastic basket and declined plastic bags from sellers, yet I could only halve the number of bags I received. It seems that completely abandoning single-use bags and plastics is not simple at all.

In Germany, whenever I go grocery shopping, I always bring a cloth bag to carry items if I am traveling by bicycle. If I am driving, I even bring a plastic crate to load everything into the back of my car instead of using plastic bags.

At the supermarket, the staff does not provide customers with plastic bags at checkout. Items such as sugar, salt, flour, and eggs are packed in paper boxes. Fast food and coffee are served in paper cups, plates, and bags. Although plastic bags still exist, they are rare and most people avoid using them whenever alternatives are available.

Germans also have a habit of disposing of trash in designated places and sorting waste at home so that it can be efficiently collected and processed. By regulation, Friday is garbage collection day. Each household or apartment complex sorts the garbage into bins and places them neatly along the sidewalk, waiting for trash collection trucks.

On one occasion, strong winds blew open the lid of a garbage bin across the street from my house, scattering its contents. An elderly gentleman, likely over 90 years old and using a walking stick, stopped as he passed by, slowly bent down, and picked up the trash, returning it to the bin before continuing on his way. Acts like this are common where I live, as everyone values public cleanliness. As a result, the city remains very clean.

Not only are public spaces clean, but German homes are also tidy and well-kept. I have noticed that children are taught from a young age by both schools and families the principle of disposing of trash properly. If there is no trash bin, they are taught to bring the trash home. My children, when they come home from kindergarten, often have candy or snack wrappers in their pockets because they understand not to litter on the streets.

The state I live in has the most national parks and green trees compared to the other 15 states in Germany. Therefore, even though I live in the city, the air is exceptionally fresh.

I hope that one day, my hometown of HCMC will also become as beautiful and clean as my current city. To achieve this, people must start with changes in awareness and habits regarding the use of plastic bags and single-use plastics. A city can only be clean and beautiful if every citizen has a sense of responsibility and care for their shared living environment.

Are single-use plastic bags just too convenient to give up in Vietnam?

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.