Exhibition Living New With Old promotes sustainable consumption

Cho Tot, an online shopping site and part of the Carousell Group, Southeast Asia's fast-growing tech group, has collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE), and the Circular Economy Hub to organise the exhibition Living New With Old. There, old items have been brought back to life by artists through art installations to spread the positive message of reusability to young people.

Bui Minh Diep, a nine-year-old from Hanoi attended the exhibition and said that he was very impressed with the work Eternal Life, which was arranged from old books, and the work Reincarnation, which was created from old clothes and used electronics.

“In the future, I will not throw away used electronics but will think of ways to recycle them. I also try to stop using plastic bags and other plastic items," said Diep.

The artwork Sweep was created with old clothes, furniture, and household items. The work depicts the continuous shopping cycle where buying new and throwing away old things creates a giant pile of trash

The rapid economic growth in recent years has put increasing and irreparable pressure on ecosystems and natural resources. It is estimated that by 2050, Earth's inhabitants will reach 9.6 billion people.

Without changing production patterns, humans need the resources of three Earths to meet the needs of the future, according to data from Vietnam Circular Economy. The trade of reused items helps prolong a product's life cycle and could solve part of the problem.

Through these artworks, visitors are hoped to better understand the harmful effects of excessive consumerism with the spiral of shopping and disposal that engulfs the planet we live on.

Hoang Thi Minh Ngoc, strategy and growth director at Cho Tot said, “Every year, along with millions of people who actively buy and sell second-hand goods, Cho Tot has helped countless items to be bought and sold for reuse, helping reduce the financial burden on many people's lives, and at the same time reduce hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ released into the environment by limiting the exploitation of new production. Over the past 10 years, Cho Tot has made efforts to invest in products and teams to build a safe and convenient second-hand buying and selling experience, making second-hand goods a priority in Vietnamese decisions."

The work Create was made with old electronics, furniture, and clothes and resembles a legendary touch to create a new sustainable future

In a joint effort to promote the circular economy, Cho Tot, in cooperation with the UNDP Chapter and ISPONRE, will develop the initiative "Cho Tot towards the Circular Economy".

Through this, the cooperation will carry out initiatives and hopes to inspire locals to be aware and act to transform the country's economy into a circular one.