An eco-friendly tableware rental service on Siaoliouciou Island (小琉球) aims to reduce plastic waste and its carbon footprint with its cup-sharing project.
“We are an outlying island of Pingtung County and have a thriving tourism industry, but it is quite difficult for garbage clean up and for transporting elsewhere. We need to do something to curtail plastic use by tourists and businesses,” Chen wen-yu (陳文玉), chairman of an organization promoting ecotourism and sustainability on Siaoliouciou, said on Saturday.
“So we started the cup-sharing project five years ago, and have managed to curtail an estimated 130,000 plastic cups and bottles a year,” he said.
Photo: Chen Yen-ting, Taipei
The project was in partnership with the Pingtung County Government Environmental Protection Bureau, he said, adding that the Liuqiu Ecocup (琉行杯) service is free and no deposit is required.
“We are looking to further reduce plastic waste, by launching more programs to supplement the “Liuqiu Ecocup,” including the “tableware rental service” for tourist groups over 10 people, Chen said.
Tourist groups can follow the Facebook page of Liuqiu Ecocup to send messages to register prior to boarding a ferry from Donggang (東港) port to the island, then the eco-cups would be sent on the same day to the group’s lodging place, he said.
“After easing up of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions last year, Siaoliouciou has seen big tourist crowds. We believe it can quickly return to over the yearly 1 million level before the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “But increasing garbage would follow tourism.”
“The aim is to eliminate disposable plastic products, reduce garbage amount in all aspects of daily living, eating, lodging, clothing, entertainment, and leisure activities,” he said. “This way we can show that tourism is not just for destruction of local environment, but also for making changes by embracing recycling, which can be passed down to next generations.”
Pingtung County Government Environmental Protection Bureau officials said that people can prepare their own personal reusable utensils and cups prior to visiting the island, and visit the National Green Life Movement (全民綠生活) Web site to see approved “bed-and-breakfast lodging,” and other tourist shops.
The site lists “eco-friendly shops and restaurants” to support collaborating businesses and environment protection, they said.
Additional reporting by Jason Pan
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