Ha Nguyen: CDS Vic brings neighbours together
Exchanging a friendly smile and commenting on the classic Melbourne weather changes, Ha Nguyen and her neighbour make their way to their regular Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) refund point in Coburg.
“It gets us both out of the house, which is a plus!” she says, “But we’re also doing something good for the environment and taking a moment to catch up”.
Recycling through the scheme has become a bonding ritual for the pair, collecting bottles and cans each month to drop off at the Coburg Reverse Vending Store. They find the routine has given them both something to look forward to.
“Part of my job looks at social cohesion, so caring for the environment is essential to caring for the community”, Ha is a public health professional and a volunteer at Merri-bek City Council. “While we may not get a large amount from the refund, the process is the real reward in how it brings us together”.
Ha’s neighbour experiences difficulty managing his mental health, and the simple act of a conversation while visiting the refund point has been incredibly beneficial.
“He often finds it hard to leave the house, but when he saw me taking drink containers and returning them for change, he eventually joined me; now it’s something we can do together”, she says.
“My neighbour once told me that returning containers makes him feel like he’s got somewhere to be, something to do. The money isn’t much, but it’s his – and being able to buy those little things he likes makes him feel like he’s really earned it”.
Ha has been using CDS Vic consistently since the end of 2023, but her recycling journey began at an early age, picking up lessons from her mother in Vietnam.
“I’d see her always saving things and recycling, from old magazines to bottles”, she says, “I remember learning about the three R’s of waste management – reduce, reuse, recycle. Those principles always stuck with me”.
She believes that initiatives like the CDS Vic are invaluable to our local communities, and it’s come with the unexpected benefit of a new friendship.
“I find it interesting that the word ‘recycling’ has ‘cycling’ in it. It reminds me that the benefits keep coming back, and even if we do a little bit, the cycle continues to have an impact in the long run”.
To find out more about Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme, visit cdsvic.org.au/vietnamese
