Vietnam has experienced rapid development that has placed pressure on the environment, leading to issues like deforestation, pollution, and poor waste treatment. However, there are now encouraging signs that the government and private sector are increasingly aware of environmental problems and introducing solutions. Some examples mentioned are a company producing biodiesel from jatropha plants to provide a sustainable fuel alternative, and several hotels implementing environmentally-friendly practices like solar power, recycling, and reducing consumption. While challenges remain, there are diverse efforts underway in Vietnam to balance economic growth with environmental protection.

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118 AsiaSpa 2009 1192009 AsiaSpa
wellbeingwellbeing
“With its ‘grow first, clean-up later’
philosophy,Vietnamhasexperienced
rapid rural and urban development and
population growth over the past two decades.
Combined with an excessive focus on
economic advancement, the country’s natural
resources have been placed under huge
pressure, creating serious environmental woes
such as poor waste treatment, deforestation
and land and air pollution.
Uncontrolled development, lax regu-
lations, plus naivety regarding global
environmental issues have compounded
these problems. “Vietnam is open to
eco-friendly practices but helping the
environment is still a luxury; for most, it’s a
matter of economics,” testifies Steve Mueller,
General Director of Green Energy.
{emission} writer Samantha Coomber
Fuelling sustainable energy
Settled in Vietnam for a decade, American
Stephen Mueller wanted to help the
environmental issues in his new home – and
certainly did, founding Green Energy (www.
greenenergy.com.vn) in 2005. Backed by
Australian partners Jatoil, this HCMC-based
Vietnamese company focuses on renewable,
clean energy – namely, biofuel, a non toxic
alternative fuel.
After dabbling in waste cooking oil
from hotels, General Director Mueller
looked at alternative biofuel sources – se-
lecting Jatropha Curcas, an inedible plant
that thrives on marginal lands. Seeds from
Jatropha can be pressed and refined into
sustainable, biodegradable and non-pollut-
ing biodiesel. A second generation biofuel
impossible?
At the World Economic Forum, a 2008
Environmental Performance Index ranked
Vietnam 76th, scoring lowest in biodiver-
sity, conservation, indoor air pollution and
sanitation. The Forum’s Competitiveness
Reports 2007-2009 ranked Vietnam’s
Quality of Natural Environment 122nd
out of 133 countries. Ho Chi Minh City
(HCMC) is among the world’s top 10
cities most endangered by climate change
and has some of the world’s highest air
pollution levels.
But before we all sob into our lattes,
there are encouraging signs. The govern-
ment is increasingly aware of the need for
urgent measures to redress environmental
problems, one official at a recent confer-
ence on the matter admitting: “To develop
sustainably, we must pay special attention to
protecting the environment and maintaining
natural resources reasonably.”
Lately, various ministries have drafted
environmental strategies and policies; these
include a 2020 plan for Environmentally
Sustainable Transport and an action plan to
implement the Kyoto Protocol and combat
climate change. More environmental-based
enforcements and regulations are being
introduced. In the private sector, according
to a recent Grant Thornton report (IBR),
69 percent of Vietnam’s private businesses
are prepared to introduce green practices.
And thankfully, an increasing number of
individuals and organizations, in their own
diverse ways, are making a difference and
leading by example.
feedstock, Jatropha requires little water,
doesn’t involve destruction of high-value
native environments and is cultivated solely
for fuel, rather than competing with land
for food crops. It burns 70 percent cleaner
than fossil fuels and is CO2 neutral – an
important factor, considering transport
causes over 70 percent of air pollution in
Vietnam’s urban areas.
Additionally, Jatropha cultivation gener-
ates sustainable yields on Vietnam’s most
unproductive lands – including degraded
and war damaged – where nothing else can
grow (Jatropha grows wild in the central
provinces). Supplied with tools, training
and contracts, biofuel plantations offer
some of Vietnam’s poorest farmers a viable
economic recourse on otherwise barely
cultivable land.
Still on trial runs, Green Energy is
currently committed to 2,000 hectares of
cultivation, expanding to 25,000 and full
production within five years. Although not
yet profitable, Mueller believes that a po-
tential market exists; primarily local, with
its lower priced fuel, but increasingly, with
the government. Aware of biofuels’ potential
of meetingVietnam’s escalating energy and
transport needs, the government is legislat-
ing a five percent biodiesel mandate by
2015, rising to 15 percent by 2020, plus
plans to bring millions of hectares under
biofuel feedstock cultivation. Green Energy
will play a significant part in reducing rural
poverty and creating a sustainable energy
future for Vietnam.
trafficjamofmotorbikesinSaigon,Vietnam©istockphoto.com/SERDARYAGCI
This page: Resort AerialView of Six Senses Hideaway NinhVan Bay photographed by Kiattipong Panchee.

2. wellbeing
120 AsiaSpa 2009 1212009 AsiaSpa
most eco-friendly packaging types and fully
recyclable. NRV also supplies products to
many prestigious resorts, hotels and spas in
Vietnam: not only reducing shipments and
guaranteeing genuine green amenities for
guests, but also actively converting clients to
environmentally beneficial practices. Estab-
lishments purchase NRV products in bulk via
returnable plastic bottles and use refillable
aluminum or ceramic containers in-house,
breaking the cycle of disposable plastic con-
tainers – vital in waste management.
Green designs
Meaning “Life” in Vietnamese, Sông (www.
song-life.com) is a tropically-inspired, lifestyle
and fashion brand, blending traditional
craftsmanship with modern eco-friendly
ethos. Sông was founded 1996 inVietnam by
French designer Valerie Gregori McKenzie,
an earth mother and HCMC resident who
takes her responsibility as a global citizen
seriously. “Some day we shall all be green or
we shall be no more,” she declares. “Until
that day comes, fashion and ecology must
learn to walk hand-in-hand and ecological
sustainability must evolve with improvement
in manufacturing choices.”
Controlling its carbon footprint and
guaranteeing revenue for local artisanal
communities, Sông is a member of the
International Fair Trade Association. It’s
virtually impossible to create entirely
green garments, while producing high-
end fashions for luxury outlets worldwide
requires modern manufacturing processes,
however, Sông explores progressive pro-
duction possibilities and supports the use
of biotechnology to increase productivity
and save dwindling environments. Fabrics
are natural, ethically sourced and have low
environmental impact – like linen, hemp
and silk, while embellishments feature
recycled sea and coconut shells. Com-
mercial dyes cannot totally claim to be
eco-friendly, rather, less environmentally
damaging. Sông uses low-impact reactive
dyes, with no toxic substances and less
water run-off. Surprisingly, these are more
environmentally friendly than natural dyes,
which contain harmful metallic salts.
Run for your wildlife
Vietnam’s wildlife is increasingly under
threat, with endangered species facing
depletion and ultimately, extinction, due to
habitat loss and fragmented eco-systems,
hunting, pollution and a flourishing wildlife
trade – Vietnam is en route for smugglers
from Cambodia or Malaysia to China. Several
organisations however are helping stem
this crisis. Joint International-Vietnamese
Wildlife At Risk (WAR; www.wildlifeatrisk.
org) is dedicated to protecting Vietnam’s
biodiversity by combating illegal trading,
raising environmental awareness and
promoting the conservation of endangered
species and their habitats. The non-profit
organization operates three wildlife facilities
in Vietnam’s south.
Animal Rescue Centre at Cu Chi is
dedicated to rehabilitating and releasing
rescued animals, as well as being a pio-
neering research centre providing empirical
data on rescued animals released into the
wild. WAR’s Bear Sanctuary within CatTien
National Park offers a semi-natural eco-tour-
ism venue, while the larger Hon Me Bear
Sanctuary in the Mekong Delta offers a new
home for bears confiscated from poachers.
Both recently established sanctuaries are
jointly operated with Free the Bears.
British Flora and Fauna International (FFI;
www.fauna-flora.org) is the world’s oldest
international conservation organisation,
directly protecting – and drawing attention
to – the planet’s endangered species and
eco-systems. FFI works with local com-
munities to help them find sustainable,
economically viable and lasting means of
keeping habitats intact. They operate over
100 conservation projects in more than 40
countries: in Vietnam, in the mountainous
north, these include protecting the Tonkin
Snub Nosed Monkey and Cao Vit Gibbon,
some of the world’s most endangered
Naturally beautiful
A demand for 100 percent natural skincare
products has emerged in recent years.
However, many products, even boasting
natural content, still contain synthetic
and chemical ingredients that are neither
beneficial to the skin or environment.
Established by Frenchman Stephane
Eliot four years ago, Natural Rendez-Vous
(NRV; www.naturalrdv.com) has catapulted
Vietnam firmly on the cosmetics map.
French managed, NRV’s brands Azial (pro-
fessional spa, body and hair care products)
and Rendez-vous (specialist skin and body
care products) are made with 100 percent
natural and active ingredients. No artificial
ingredients, preservatives, petrochemicals,
parabens, alcohol, animal testing or GMO’s
are used, while the highly concentrated
content contains fresh aloe vera instead of
water, plus synergic blends of therapeutic
grade essential oils.
There are wider implications than all-
natural body maintenance: made entirely
in Vietnam, products are manufactured the
traditional way, including handmade soaps.
Around 70 percent of ingredients are sourced
locally and products are bio-degradable,
meaning little impact on the environment
from production to use. Retail packaging
mostly comprises of aluminum, one of the
primates and assisting local authorities
manage Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park,
one of the richest locations of primates in
Indo-China.
Stay green
Blessed with abundantly beautiful land and
sea scapes, Vietnam’s burgeoning rise in
tourism and increased hotel construction
is inevitable, putting ecosystems under
pressure. Fortunately, tourists are becoming
discerning regarding ‘green’ accommodation
and destinations showing scant regard
for the environment. “Today’s traveller is
increasingly aware of the impact that travel
hasontheenvironmentandseekinghotelsthat
demonstrateacrediblecommitmenttopositive
environmental practices,” affirms Evan Lewis,
V.P. Communications, ACCOR.
For management and investors too, it
may be in their best commercial interests
to go green, as companies are increasingly
doing business with others that demonstrate
clear environmental vision. Several hotels
are committed in the fight against global
warming and environmental damage – and
go way beyond the concept of re-using
towels and bed linen.
A tropical paradise and still relatively
underdeveloped, Vietnam’s largest island
Phu Quoc is pioneering for its environmen-
tally conscious resorts – the most prolific,
eco-concept Mango Bay (www.mangobay-
phuquoc.com). Created by international
owners with a passion for the environment
and island culture, accommodation in
this low-impact resort is constructed from
natural, locally-sourced materials, including
eco-efficient rammed earth bungalows.
Rooms don’t feature air-conditioning or TV,
water is heated by solar power and waste
is recycled. The surrounding rainforest has
been sustained over the years with thousands
of trees planted.
On the mainland, some of the most
eco-friendly hotels are ironicallyVietnam’s
most historic. In HCMC, the 1925-built
Hotel Majestic (www.majesticsaigon.com.
vn) is one of Southeast Asia’s classic colo-
nial hotels, yet came third in the ASEAN
Energy Efficient Building 2008 awards. A
decade of determination to create a green
environment based on energy saving and
efficiency leading to sustainable tourism is
backed by solar water heating systems for
guestrooms, reduction of plastic bag use
and a monthly ‘Saturday Candle Night.’
Efforts have not only resulted in reducing
water and power consumption and carbon
dioxide emissions by an average 179000kg
per month, but saved this state-run hotel
thousands of dollars in operational costs.
50 years old, but the nearby Caravelle
(www.caravellehotel.com) is another en-
vironmentally committed hotel. “It’s not
enough for those in the hotel industry to
simply consume resources with abandon
anymore, even if we can afford them,” states
wellbeing
This page: A fishing cat courtesy of NguyenVu Khoi -WAR and cultivable lands courtesy of Green Energy.
Opposite page: Jatropha cultivation at Green Energy; Song; and stump tail macaque at NguyenVu Khoi -WAR.

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122 AsiaSpa 2009
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committed to a progressive environmental
programme both in their Hanoi and HCMC
hotels – the latter’s eco-practices include a
sewage treatment plant, liquefied petroleum
gas powered boilers and hot water produced
by heat pumps.
Vietnam’sshiningstarhoweverisarguably
Six Senses Hideaway NinhVan Bay (www.
sixsenses.com/Six-Senses-Hideaway-
Ninh-Van-Bay). Bangkok-based Six Senses
Resorts and Spas Group have always been
firmly committed to sustainable develop-
ment and environmental responsibilities.
Trademark reduction of carbon footprints
include measures such as sourcing of prime
produce from local communities. Their
second of three Vietnam properties is over
90 percent self-sustaining; remarkable,
considering this nature-style hideaway is
located on an isolated peninsula and is
one of Vietnam’s premier luxury resorts.
Architecturally blending seamlessly with
the wild surrounds, eco-friendly elements
include a rain water dam, recycling depot,
ozone-friendly refrigerators and waste
water management.
Lessons learnt
Increased government intervention and
education – especially children – may be
the best footprint forward. An ongoing
flora and fauna International project, the
‘Halong Bay Eco-boat’ has taught thousands
of Vietnamese children one of the greatest
lessons of all: the importance of balancing
Vietnam’s socio-economic development with
preservation of the natural environment and
biological diversity. One can only hope that
this innovative educational step will lead to
a new generation of eco-awarenes.
General Manager John Gardner. “Our goal
is to significantly reduce the Caravelle’s
carbon footprint.” Their Green Initiatives
programme is a systematic analysis of the
hotel’s energy consumption and wastage,
backed with measures to reduce environ-
mental impact. Efforts include an extensive
Reduce, Recycle and Reuse programme,
staff awareness training and energy saving
devices like digital thermostats.
In Dalat, the ACCOR-managed (www.
accorhotels.com) Sofitel Dalat Palace and
Hotel Novotel Dalat, established in 1922
and 1932 respectively, prove that age is
no boundary to eco-friendly practices like
intensive recycling and rain collection. For
2009 to date, reductions in water and electric-
ity consumption reflect savings of around
20 percent. ACCOR’s Novotel Group has
embraced environmental concerns as an
integral part of their brand for years and
come under the Australian-based, Green
Globe Programme. By 2010, all Novotel’s
worldwide-including those in Vietnam
– aim to implement environmental practices
complying with Green Globe Sustainable
Tourism Certification.
Newcomers to Vietnam, the Inter-
Continental (www.ichotelsgroup.com) has
“Today’s traveller is increasingly aware
of the impact that travel has on the environment
and seeking hotels that demonstrate a
credible commitment to positive
environmental practices.”
This page: WaterVilla Exterior with eco-friendly elements at Six Senses Hideaway NinhVan Bay, photographed by Kiattipong Panchee.