Litter

[Steviebike]

I'm fed-up with litter. Everywhere I go there is litter. It ranges from lunch boxes to the entire contents of a house. You can go to the nastiest industrial area to the most beautiful scenic areas in Taiwan and find litter. I really don't understand as I thought that the Taiwanese loved this island but, the lack of respect and contempt by dropping litter really upsets me.

Just the other day I was at a small fishing harbour looking at to sea where I could see a small fish in raft working away, one of the fishermen was eating his lunch box and I was admiring what they were doing. I had total respect for them. He then threw his empty lunch box and chopsticks into the sea. How could he do that? A singular act you might say. The week before I saw a man outside his own home throw his disposable wooden chopsticks into the drain, the day before an man threw his empty cigarette pack to the floor and it goes on.

But nobody will say anything - not the Taiwanese way - and they continue to litter and ruin their own environment with trash. Sure they only want to make money and leave the shitty city behind. But it wouldn't be a shitty city or island is people didn't treat it like one. The Taiwanese are quick to respond to criticism on this board, please respond to this.

[Confuzius]

I'm fed-up with letter. Everywhere I go there is litter. It ranges from lunch boxes to the entire contents of a house. You can go to the nastiest industrial area to the most beautiful scenic areas in Taiwan and find litter. I really don't understand as I thought that the Taiwanese loved this island but, the lack of respect and contempt by dropping litter really upsets me.

Jut the other day I was at a small fishing harbour looking at to sea where I could see a small fish in raft working away, one of the fishermen was eating his lunch box and I was admiring what they were doing. I had total respect for them. He then threw his empty lunch box and chopsticks into the sea. How could he do that? A singular act you might say. The week before I saw a man outside his own home throw his disposable wooden chopsticks into the drain, the day before an man threw his empty cigarette pack to the floor and it goes on.

But nobody will say anything - not the Taiwanese way - and they continue to litter and ruin their own environment with trash. Sure they only want to make money and leave the shitty city behind. But it wouldn't be a shitty city or island is people didn't treat it like one. The Taiwanese are quick to respond to criticism on this board, please respond to this.

Sounds like the Taiwanese have more in common with Americans than we first suspected!

[Nuit]

I hear your pain, although the island is a lot cleaner than it used to be back in the 90s (believe it or not). Progress has been made.
Was on the Walami Trail a couple of weeks back, and passed several hikers carrying their bagged trash out .

But there's still a long way to go.

A lot though revolves around the culture of providing everyone with so much unnecessary packaging: things double-boxed, triple-wrapped, take-away, throw-away, plastics, polystyrene. We should take some of the 'pressure' off the consumer, and not give them all this stuff which they then have to dispose off. e.g. if that fisherman-dude had his own metal / wooden bian-dang box, with chopsticks, then there'd be no chucking it in the sea, would there now?

[headhonchoII]

All that stuff is so cheap they don't even think about it. Also disposable chopsticks and plates were promoted by govt policy to reduce hepatitis infection.
Taiwanese are far behind with regards to reusability and cleanliness.

[Steviebike]

It really does pain me. I like it here so much, and when I see so much trash dumped everywhere I go, it breaks my heart and I think what is going on? It's hard to imagine it being worse but it's good to know things are improving. I think the the lack of public bins is not helping and I'm sure a public awareness campaign would help. I just find it so disrespectful, regardless of the area, but more so in the nicest spots this island has to offer.

It's like a plague. I once saw an egret standing on hundreds (literally) of plastic drink cups that had ended up in the river, I felt sorry for the egret, how could he fish there?

[Belgian Pie]

It's the Taiwanese (well, many of them) when-it's-out-of-sight-it's-gone attitude. And the with-the-next-typhoon-it-will-flow-out-to-sea complex. Just watch rivers growing at the next torrential rain, first you see all the bags and boxes flow by, then some shoes and flip-flops, fridges, sofas and washing machines ...
As said, too much packaging and I guess that the majority buy and eat take away food 3 times a day.
Also, many don't really care about Taiwan, they have a job, a roof over the head and food in the box. Why would they care? They were dropped here in the 1940's and coincidentally live here, they would do the same if they'd live on another island.

[914]

I know, it's sad, and maddening at times because Taiwan has so much potential. Sooo much.

There's so much wealth and flaunting of wealth or talking about wealth, so much time gossiping about the negatives of other nations (thanks to the media), but when it comes to their/our own backyard, it's every man for himself. Education is key. I find it tiring when Taiwanese compare their country to mainland China or other less developed nations. Come on, let's aim higher! It's like when I came home with a 75% in science but hey, dad I did better than Jimmy who only plays Nintendo and doesn't study! My dad would yell at me and say why would you compare yourself to an idiot? Compare yourself to the ones that actually try and do well!

I do hear and see that it's better. The reason I am told there is a lack of public trash cans is because people throw their bags of garbage from home in them because they can't wait for the garbage truck.

[hsinhai78]

What bothers me is that buying snacks from 7-11 or a vendor leaves you with lots of plastic wrapping, yet these places are becoming more and more reluctant to take back the trash they have sold you as part of the product.

Putting up more trash cans will obviously only lead to redneck Amajs with green plate scooters to dump their entire household waste of a whole week there to save some bucks.

Seems like there is no way out of this ...

[Belgian Pie]

I do hear and see that it's better. The reason I am told there is a lack of public trash cans is because people throw their bags of garbage from home in them because they can't wait for the garbage truck.

They don't want to wait and socialize with the neighbors ... and it cost money buying official garbage bags ...

[headhonchoII]

Believe it or not Taiwan is a lot cleaner litter wise than many nations. You don't tend to see rusty cars and refrigerators dumped in ditches for example. There is not a plastic bag forest on the side of the highway. The pavements and roads are relatively litter free.

Certain areas need major improvement, the beaches being the first place to start. Also riversides should be policed better, no throwing your BBQ and plastic crap everywhere after your picnic.
These things have to be led by Taiwanese peer pressure , a certain level of education should help too.