In the late autumn days, Lói village in Quài Tở commune seems to have put on a new face. The intra-village road is smoothly paved with concrete; both sides are vibrant with the colors of lantana flowers, green hedges are neatly trimmed, and domestic waste is collected and treated in designated places. The people have all become more conscious of preserving the environment, and every household sweeps and tidies up neatly and cleanly.

Ms. Lò Thị Nhung, a resident of Lói village, shared: “Our village is this clean and beautiful thanks to everyone contributing their effort and strength. At first, it was very difficult to persuade people to change their lifestyle; everyone said it was too much work. But officials from the commune, the women’s union, and the youth union came to communicate many times, and the people eventually listened and followed. Now, every morning, families sweep their yards and alleys. Waste is collected in the right place. The village looks so much brighter, and everyone who returns after being away praises it.”

In Mường Ảng commune, in recent years, the movement to plant flowers along inter-village roads has been spreading strongly, creating a fresh atmosphere that encourages and motivates people to compete in labor and production. To date, almost all villages and residential groups in the commune have a self-managed flower-lined road. These flower-lined roads have gradually changed the awareness of the people, helping each person become more conscious of protecting the environment and building a civilized, green, clean, and beautiful urban area.

Mr. Nguyễn Đức Quang, Vice Chairman of the Mường Ảng commune People’s Committee, shared: “Depending on the season and the time of year, people choose to plant different types of flowers to keep the landscape looking fresh. With the party committee and government in agreement and the people joining forces, the beautification and care of the environmental landscape are maintained regularly. In particular, urban routes like the 42m axis and the 27m axis, as well as park areas and recreational spots, are all planted with flowers and ornamental plants and are neatly trimmed. Everything is done by officials, party members, and the people on a voluntary, socially-mobilized basis, so everyone has a sense of responsibility for its preservation and protection.”

Through specific and practical methods, the movement to build green, clean, and beautiful residential areas has spread to many highland and border villages. In Tả Ló San village, Sín Thầu commune, at the westernmost point of the country, a green lifestyle is gradually becoming a habit in every family. After nearly half a year of implementing the pilot model project “United, green - clean - beautiful border residential area,” Tả Ló San village is gradually becoming a bright spot in the movement to build a green lifestyle in residential areas.

Ms. Pờ Mỳ Lế, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Sín Thầu commune Party Committee, said that from the very beginning of the model’s implementation, the commune determined that it had to make the people truly see the benefits. Commune officials, border guards, and mass organizations went down to the village to guide the people on cleaning up, digging waste pits, and planting flowers. When they saw the village become cleaner and more beautiful, the people were excited and voluntarily followed suit. Now, preserving the environment has become a part of daily life.

According to Ms. Pờ Mỳ Lế, along with focusing on environmental protection, the model also emphasizes supporting people in developing livelihoods and improving living conditions. Many items have been invested in, such as: building and repairing houses; making intra-village roads, a waste treatment area, and a community playground; and supporting poor households with seedlings, breeding animals, and rice husking machines. In particular, the restoration of the traditional rammed earth houses of the Hà Nhì people and the upgrading of the cultural house and kindergarten site have not only contributed to preserving cultural identity but have also created a cohesive community space.

From the models in Mường Ảng, Quài Tở, and Sín Thầu, the movement to build a green lifestyle has been and is being replicated in many other localities in the province. Each place has its own way of doing things, but all share a spirit of self-awareness, unity, and a collective effort to nurture a sustainable living environment. Localities are mobilizing resources to invest in rural infrastructure and environmental protection, while also encouraging people to help each other in economic development and building a new cultural life. For example, the provincial Women’s Union is promoting the “5-No, 3-Clean” movement, maintaining the “women’s self-managed” road activities, and mobilizing members to sort waste at the source and utilize organic waste for recycling, turning trash into a practical benefit. Many models such as the “5-No, 3-Clean Branch,” “Treating Organic Waste at the Household Level,” and “Model Flower-Lined Road” have been replicated, creating a bright, green, clean, and beautiful landscape.

In addition, the provincial Youth Union maintains “Volunteer Saturday” and “Green Sunday” activities, organizing many cultural, sports, and artistic events in residential areas to inspire a spirit of unity and community bonding. The provincial Farmers’ Union mobilizes its members to implement the “Collecting, Sorting, and Processing Organic Waste into Fertilizer at the Household Level” model, and to actively participate in environmental protection and adaptation to climate change. These specific and practical actions are contributing to the formation of a civilized lifestyle, spreading a sense of responsibility and love for the homeland in every citizen.