Burning votive paper ash is one of the least examined environmental pressures of the Vietnamese Tet season — and it became the subject of Keep Vietnam Clean’s first TikTok content creation contest, “Clean Ash – Green Tết – Sharing Good Intentions”, run from 1 December 2025 to 19 January 2026 as part of the “Kitchen God Day 2026” campaign.
The contest invited young creators to raise their voices on a question most families have never been asked: whether rituals meant to bring peace and blessing can truly serve a household if they quietly harm the environment it lives in.
What this article covers
- Why votive paper ash became the theme
- Contest format and eligibility
- Results: 26 entries from across Vietnam
- The eight winning works
- Sponsors and communication ambassadors
Why votive paper ash became the theme
Nine years of running the Kitchen God Day campaign gave Keep Vietnam Clean a clear picture of what actually accumulates along Hanoi’s waterways each Tet.
The custom itself is beautiful. Families release carp into rivers, ponds and lakes, believing the fish will become dragons and carry the Kitchen Gods to heaven, bringing prosperity for the year ahead. But alongside the carp go plastic bags, offerings, and votive paper ash tipped straight into the water.
The air is affected too. Burning votive paper emits fine particulate matter PM2.5 and dioxins — pollutants that damage air quality and human health (Khezri, Chan, Tiong & Webster, 2015).
What makes votive paper ash difficult is that it sits inside a meaningful tradition. It cannot be regulated away, and lecturing rarely lands. It has to be talked about by the people who practise the ritual — which is exactly what a creator contest is good for.
Contest theme and eligibility
Participants explored how votive paper ash and the habit of excessive burning affect water, air, soil and human health, presenting their perspective as a short video or photo carousel — positive and creative rather than alarmist.
Entry was open to anyone living and working in Vietnam aged 13 and above, individually or in groups of any size. Reference material on the impacts of votive paper ash was supplied to all entrants.
Results: 26 entries from across the country
The contest received 26 entries from 29 participants. Most were aged 15–26, with 22 and 23 year olds the largest group.
By participant location: Hanoi 51.7%, Ho Chi Minh City 24.1%, Hai Phong 10.3%, with the remainder from Binh Duong, Hai Duong and Da Nang.
Over 80% of submissions were short videos, covering a wide range of angles on votive paper ash and green living. The photo carousel entries were visually strong and carried the message just as clearly. Many works reached large audiences on their own, extending the conversation about responsible spiritual practice well beyond the campaign’s own channels.
The eight winning works
Based on jury evaluation and audience engagement, eight entries were awarded. No first prize was given this year.
Two second prizes — 2,000,000 VND plus an Enzyco gift set (480,000 VND)
- “Faith from the Heart – Environment from Action” by Ecoteam
- “Have You Ever Been Sent by Ghosts to Buy Offerings?” by Nguyen Van Hoang Minh
Three third prizes — 1,000,000 VND plus an Enzyco gift set (345,000 VND)
- “Give Clean Ash – Welcome Green Tết” by Hoang Thi Huong Giang
- “Clean Ash – Green Tết – Kind Wishes: For the Deceased, for the Living, and for a Better Future” by Truong Van Huu Luan
- “Burn Less – Greener Tết” by Nguyen Cong Thanh
Two consolation prizes — 500,000 VND plus Enzyco bio cleaner and laundry liquid
- “Message from 2036” by Teen Vì Tết Xanh Team
- “Is a Green Tết Difficult?” by Phan Gia Linh
One most favourite prize — 1,500,000 VND plus an Enzyco gift set (425,000 VND)
- Entry by Nguyen Ngoc Khanh Vy
Sponsors and communication ambassadors
Spreading the message of “Clean Ash – Green Tết – Kind Wishes” would not have been possible without partners who share the same vision. Keep Vietnam Clean sincerely thanks:
- Media Patron: YBOX.VN
- Silver Sponsor: Asian Trails
- Bronze Sponsors: Pacific Environment Vietnam (PEVN), Hanoi Toronto School (HTS), Enzyco, Wide Eyed Tours & Travel, Kapiti College
- Accompanying Sponsors: EXO Travel, British International School Hanoi (BIS), Acacia International Pre-school
Thanks also to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hoang Kha as jury member and communication ambassador, and to Ms. Sui Da Vegetarian as communication ambassador.
What the contest showed us
Twenty-six entries is a modest number, and we report it as it is. What matters more is who made them: creators aged 15 to 26, in six provinces, choosing to talk about votive paper ash to audiences that would never sit through an environmental briefing.
That is the real result. The full campaign figures are in our Kitchen God Day 2026 summary report, and the training sessions behind them are covered in our sustainable Tet report.
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