There are hundreds of ways to protect the planet and all of them show you care for the environment as long as they are carried out conscientiously, environmental groups said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Calling on the public to participate in an array of LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability) activities that are planned from this month until June in celebration of Earth Day on April 22, the activists said that through the seminars, eco-tours, farmers' markets and exhibitions people can learn more about what they can do for the planet.
"Fighting global warming is as important as ever," said Tung Gene-sheng (董景生), president of the Taiwan Environmental Information Association (TEIA). "Climate change is increasingly affecting the survival conditions of mankind, yet most people do not realize the extent of the problem or how they can help."
FIRST EVER
To draw attention to environmental issues, in 1970 two Americans, Gaylord Nelson and Danes Hess, initiated the first ever Earth Day. Today, 500 million people around the globe celebrate Earth Day with eco-friendly activities every year, Tung said.
"These [activities] range from using only mass transportation systems on that day, wearing something blue and smiling at fellow blue-clad environmentalists on the road to recounting in silence how Mother Nature has touched your heart and appreciating those experiences," he said.
For the first time, to stimulate more good ideas and foster the formation of good habits, a dozen environmental groups around the nation have united to organize two months of Earth Day activities so that the public get a chance to learn more about how to conserve the planet's resources, he said.
GREEN ISSUES
The activities, offered by groups including the Homemakers Union and Foundation, Green Formosa Front, the Taiwan Natural Trail Society and Earth Passengers, aim to educate the public on green issues that include consuming local food because it has less "food miles" than overseas produce, turning off lights, planting trees, farming rooftop vegetable gardens to cool indoor temperatures and taking your own chopsticks to restaurants, he said.
To learn more about the Earth Day activities, log onto the TEIA sponsored Web site at www.earthday.org.tw.
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