Resourceful 8th Grader Transforms Trash into Decor

Turning Some Waste Materials into Beautiful Decorative Objects, Contributing to Spreading the Message of Environmental Protection

The person who transforms waste materials into decorative items is Nguyen Hoai Thuy Nhan, an 8th-grade student at Long Thanh Secondary School (Phung Hiep, Hau Giang).

Sharing her idea, Nhan mentioned that in her hometown, the disposal of waste materials into the environment is increasing. The concern is that waste sorting, recovery, and recycling still face many limitations. Most people choose to bury or burn waste. This solution is considered harmful to health and unfriendly to the environment.

“”””Improper handling of waste materials will affect the land, water, and air. The more I think about it, the more motivated I am to find ways to reduce the impact of waste materials and raise awareness of environmental protection. Since I have a passion for art and some talent in drawing, I decided to make decorative items primarily in the form of paintings,”””” Nhan said.

When she has an idea, Nhan immediately starts working on it because finding materials is quite easy. Nhan utilizes suitable materials that her mother brings back from the market, as well as various waste materials available at home and school, such as glass bottles, plastic boxes, nylon bags, cookie wrappers, etc., to create her paintings.

Nhan’s advantage is her willingness to explore and her dedication to her ideas, but some processing steps make this student very confused and worried. Especially arranging the layout, choosing colors, and preserving the works. To overcome these difficulties, Nhan sought advice from Ms. Tran Thanh Truc, the school’s art teacher, to gradually improve her paintings.

So far, Nhan has created nearly 10 paintings with themes of landscapes and flowers. Through Nhan’s skillful hands, many types of waste materials come to life, vibrant and vivid, such as floating markets, flower baskets,