Anyone familiar with Taiwan’s bubble tea culture is no stranger to the Four Seasons Spring (四季春) tea. Nantou's Mingjian Township (南投名間鄉) which produces the vast majority of Taiwan's Four Seasons Spring tea, boasts over 2,000 hectares of tea plantations. The annual output value of Mingjian's tea industry is estimated to reach tens of billions of TWD. However, the Nantou County Government's recent p

Due to the global energy crisis triggered by the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, many are thinking about how a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan could trigger another energy crisis. Foreign media and think tanks generally believe that, in a war blockade, Taiwan's energy reserves would last a maximum of 14 days However, some scholars argue that Taiwan's energy reserves exceed 14 days' worth, an

Everyone in Taiwan has firsthand knowledge of the devastation of typhoons, yet the question still arises whether or not Taiwan has taken sufficient disaster prevention measures? Fifteen years ago, Typhoon Megi (梅姬颱風) devastated Su'ao Township in ​​Yilan, with torrential rains causing extreme flooding and powerful mudslides, resulting in the deaths of 38 people. In Subei Village, where the famous

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC, 國家科學及技術委員會) plans to establish a 531-hectare "Shalun Ecological Science Park" (沙崙生態科學園區) in Tainan. This park will complete a key part of Greater Southern Taiwan’s new Silicon Valley. However, the development area involves a portion of the Eastern Grass Owl’s (scientific name: Tyto longimembris) habitat. For the first time, NSTC announced its plan

Whether you’re hiking alone in the countryside or taking a casual walk with good friends, you can easily use an app to record every bird you see or hear along the way. Taiwan’s app portal for “eBird”, the world’s largest bird database, has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. It has surpassed over 10,000 users, and accumulated millions of birds’ data through public birdwatching. At the recent

“Rather than devising ways to maintain current bureaucratic practices, why not innovate the administrative process?” Along with the Puyuma derailment accident, there have been several shocking incidents in recent years concerning disaster, transportation and food safety. In the eyes of some scholars, these are not random isolated incidents but a result of systemic risk issues.Taiwan’s singular pur

“Food Waste” has become one of international concerned environmental hurdles in recent years. Taiwan, has a severe food waste challenge, too. According to Taiwan’s United Daily News, the then daily kitchen waste production in 2011 reached to 3 million ton based on an estimate from APEC Information Platform on Post Harvest Loss and Waste System (APIP-PHLOWS). To pile up these food wastes, the heigh

The midterm election for Taiwan will take place on 24th of November, but how will the future governors development green energy at the local government level?  Taiwan Renewable Energy Alliance(TRENA) recently asked all the candidates to elaborate their renewable energy policies; of the 92 candidates running for governor, 21 were not available, 54 did not answer, and in the end only 17 did give a r

New Taipei City’s Smart Energy Management Community began operation today (August 30th, 2018) at Fengjing Cuifeng (峰景翠峰) Community in Sanchong and Taipei Bo-er (台北菠爾) Community in Yonghe, both are private-owned apartment complex. With supports from New Taipei City Government and suppliers, micro smart grids incorporating solar panels and wind turbines, energy storage, and energy saving were instal

The Qixing Mountain System meanders through Tamsui, Jinshan, Sanzhi, Shimen, Zhusongshan and Wanli, fanning off into settlements and production landscapes until it finally reaches the sea. Because farmers in these areas engage in crop rotation, leaving a portion of their field fallow each year, these settlements create a suitable habitat for aquatic organisms such as the Taipei frog (Rana taipehen

A huge amount of silt can suffocate corals and ultimately kill coral reefs. Hence, it is necessary to monitor siltation to ensure that a coral reef can survive in the long-term. To monitor local coral ecosystems in Chaojing (潮境) of Keelung and Fanzaiao (番仔澳) of New Taipei, Taiwan Environmental Information Association (TEIA) coordinates Reef Check Taiwan annually. Last year, siltation was observed

"Plastic or planet?" This question reminds me of another one: "Money or Life?I used to be apprehensive about the idea that our blue planet was transforming into more of a plastic globe, but the statistic that global plastic use is expected to exceed 11 billion tons by 2050 has caused me to reevaluate.Global plastic product supply far exceeds the planet’s actual demands. For example, the United Sta