There would be nothing to worry about if the materials used for the competitions were recycled by the contestants from scrap instead of being… bought new.
“Browsing” the internet, it is not difficult to see that there are many recycled fashion competitions in secondary and high schools with the participation of many teachers, students, and even competitions organized for “child models” in primary schools. Through the skillful hands of teachers and students, many costumes are invested in, “designed” extremely elaborately, splendidly and eye-catchingly.
Organizing these competitions, of course, schools all aim to raise awareness among teachers and students about the life cycle of waste if it is utilized by humans; about the harmful effects of waste in general, and plastic waste in particular, on the environment if it is not classified, collected and treated properly. Through presentations, situations, and participation, information about plastic waste reaches students in a more visual and receptive way.
However, recently, the writer of this article was quite surprised when talking with a janitor of a high school in Hanoi. Instead of enthusiastically praising the effects of the contest, the answer the janitor gave was: "The kids make use of old newspapers, but there is no use for plastic, they buy new ones"; The next answer about the products after the contest was: "The kids only keep them as souvenirs for a few days, when the fun is over, those clothes and dresses are thrown into the trash, we can just clean them up freely".
Not long ago, after a recycled fashion contest was spread on social media by a high school's fanpage, a member named Vo Minh Tien's response sparked a heated debate with many conflicting opinions. "Protecting or littering the environment" was the question many people mentioned. Or, "There is no benefit yet, all I see is trash. If we use trash for the contest, it is truly welcome, but if we buy new plastic bags and nylon bags to make clothes and then throw them in the trash, it would be better not to compete at all."
In an interview, Mr. Vu Xuan Thanh (teacher at Hoang Van Thu specialized school) also frankly expressed: "In essence, recycling competitions are very welcome because they help students promote their awareness of environmental protection and enhance their creativity and ability to work together. However, the competition is only truly meaningful when the product is made entirely from recycled materials. As for the situation of buying new plastic products and labeling them as "recycled", I personally find that such competitions are just a formality, wasting money and time."
Sharing the same opinion, student Hoai Thanh shared: "Is recycling really recycling or is it buying completely new ones to release more waste into the environment? I think it's better to eliminate such competitions."
That is not to deny the good purpose and effectiveness of the competitions. Many competitions have been held by teachers and students who have made full use of discarded materials such as old newspapers, sacks, and used plastic bags to create eye-catching fashion sets. Giving trash a new life like this clearly has an impact on many students, helping them realize that trash also has value if used properly.
However, in the end, to attach the details of the costume together, a lot of tape and glue are still used, which are still related to plastic. On the other hand, these costumes will eventually be thrown in the trash and have no use in life. In the end, there are advantages but there are also disadvantages.
There are many movements and activities against plastic waste that are still being implemented in many schools that are not recycled fashion contests, such as the models "House for plastic waste"; "Exchange plastic waste for gifts", "Trash for me - Books for you", "Feed me plastic"... Notably, at the end of 2022, Lao Cai has just inaugurated a school made entirely from recycled plastic products. These meaningful activities can only receive admiration and praise.
I think it is not too difficult for us to recognize the negative side of the above mentioned competitions. Because it comes from the good intentions of the organizers and implementers, the author himself does not make harsh comments. I would like to borrow the opinion of a young person named Hoang Hiep - the owner of a video criticizing the "transformed" recycling competitions to conclude this article: "Let's carry out environmental protection movement activities in a practical and meaningful way without straying from its original nature."
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