From Policies To Actions For Environment
By Dung Quan
|
| Students on the Enviroment Day held at Song Be Golf Resort |
For businesses to make an impact on environmental and marine conservation, they need a program of action, not just a bunch of policies. Song Be Golf Resort and Premier Oil are proactive in protecting the environment around them.
Actions speak louder than words when a business goes green. It is not just planning a one-day campaign, it is an ongoing process that needs work. Understanding that fact, Song Be Golf Resort in the southern province of Binh Duong is on the path of sustainable development by planting trees and saving water and energy.
From land environment
Song Be Golf Resort invited companies, students and teachers from three high schools in the province to join its Environment Day 2010 last Friday.
Adding to the existing 24,500 trees, hundreds of young trees were planted to turn a section of the golf course into a habitat for wildlife.
The plumbing and bathroom amenities maker, American Standard, had a display at the event of bathroom collections with water saving features. Other booths introduced bio-products for wastewater treatment and local firm Gia Nam showcased solar water heaters.
“The worldwide green movement and media promotion of sustainable development were part of our motivation for environment day,” says Richard Wong, general director of Song Be Golf Resort. Wong says environment protection is a process, so the effective way is through education and practical examples.
Song Be Golf Resort has built a water and sewage treatment plant and a drainage system to direct natural water into 14 lakes to water the ground of the 104-hectare resort. To keep the grass, resort gardeners use compost from grass clippings and leaves to supplement approved chemical fertilizers.
To convert to cleaner energy, the golf course replaced petrol buggies with electric buggies, bicycles and electric bikes.
The resort has saved 30% to 60% of its power bill by replacing fluorescent and incandescent bulbs with energy-saving bulbs and ballasts. Some 2,000 bulbs have been changed with an estimated saving of VND150 million per year. It is also looking at solar powered water heaters next year.
Cleaner seas with Premier Oil
In its offshore oil and gas drilling operations in Vietnam, the foreign-invested Premier Oil strives to protect the ocean environment that it works in. All the solid waste, including metal, plastic and wood that is created during drilling, is collected for waste treatment on the mainland.
Dao Nhat Quyen, Premier Oil manager in charge of the environment and working safety, says that drilling and exploiting oil and gas offshore use a lot of chemicals, which end up in the sea. To limit the damage, firstly, Premier Oil chooses environmentally friendly chemicals that meet European standards; secondly, all wastewater is treated before being released into the sea; and thirdly, Premier Oil guards against gas leaks.
The company also raises awareness about marine conservation for managers and staff and encourages energy saving and paper recycling.