The Taiwan EPA and the community of foreign diplomats came together over the weekend for a first-of-its-kind joint beach cleanup. St. Christopher and Nevis Ambassador Jasmine Huggins led the effort to revitalize and beautify a section of beach in Taoyuan. Ambassadors, representatives and government officials all rolled up their sleeves to restore the coastal ecosystem and promote awareness for the world''s shared ocean.
Dressed in windbreakers made from recycled PET bottles, foreign diplomats posted to Taiwan gathered up litter on a beach. They wanted to make a cleaner Taiwan by taking action.
Jasmine Elise Huggins
Saint Christopher and Nevis ambassador to Taiwan
As a diplomatic corps in Taiwan then we should give back in some way and a beach clean-up seemed to be a very simple, easy but yet effective way to show our gratitude to Taiwan.
Chang Tzi-chin
EPA minister
The head of Taiwan’s foreign diplomatic corps said that all the diplomats here wanted to help organize and participate in an activity that would serve to remind everyone about the importance of caring for our environment.
Since last May, the Executive Yuan has been promoting its Respect for Our Oceans policy as a way to increase awareness and protect marine ecosystems. As of the end of September, a total of 123,000 metric tons of garbage had already been collected from across Taiwan. In a first on Saturday, the Taiwan EPA cooperated with Taiwan’s foreign diplomatic corps to organize and jointly carry out a beach cleanup at Taoyuan’s Guanyin Coastal Recreation Area. Countries represented with participating diplomats included Palau, Eswatini, and Paraguay. Taoyuan Mayor Chen Wen-tsan also lent his hands for a cleaner Taiwan.
Chen Wen-tsan
Taoyuan mayor
I hope that the ambassadors, representatives, and their family members have all shared in this extraordinary feeling. We have only one ocean, so let’s work together to protect it.
This activity linked up with Taoyuan City’s promotion of its Eco-Friendly Receptacles for a Better Taoyuan program, and participants were each given a reusable environmentally friendly cup to reinforce the concept of sustainability. The EPA aims to return marine habitats to their pristine beauty through successive cleanup events that promote awareness while bettering the environment.
Chang Tzi-chin
EPA minister
Marine ecosystems don’t just all of a sudden get better, but by putting in the effort, we can forge closer bonds between people and marine environments.
Chen Wen-tsan
Taoyuan mayor
Recently, we’ve been promoting awareness of our oceans, and we hope that some of this beachside refuse can be recycled and repurposed. Not only can some fabrics or handicrafts be made from this cleanup, but so too can a closer connection to our oceans be made for everyone.
More and more people have been volunteering in cleanups in recent years. Last year alone, more than 150,000 people took part in such activities. Adding to the enthusiastic efforts of the public has been the EPA’s continuous investments in resources to give back to Earth a cleaner ocean.