Come to Little Ryukyu to be an unmolded guest! The EPA requires operators not to provide disposable toilet utensils and disposable tableware.

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(by upstream and downstream journalist Lin Shijun / tr. by Phil Newell)

With its unique coral reef topography and rich marine life, Xiao Ryukyu attracts a large number of tourists every year. The vigorous development of the tourism industry brings a heavy burden on the environment. Primary school teachers and students, operators and residents take the initiative to take action to improve the environment, calling on tourists to reduce the use of plastic products. The Environmental Protection Department also put forward five major proposals yesterday, requiring operators to stop providing disposable toilet utensils and encouraging tourists to bring their own environmentally friendly tableware. Hope to join hands to build Xiao Ryukyu into a "plastic-free, low-carbon" demonstration island.

Promote future accommodation in environmentally friendly hotels without disposable toiletries

Li Yingyuan, director of the Environmental Protection Agency, points out that Hsiao Ryukyu pours in nearly 1 million tourists every year, and the annual garbage production has exceeded 19 million tons, causing serious harm to the local environment and the sea. The Environmental Protection Department announced yesterday (23) that it would promote the "small Ryukyu plastic / low carbon Island demonstration Project". Aiming at the two major goals of reducing plastic products and reducing carbon emissions, Director Li Yingyuan said that it is necessary to turn Xiao Ryukyu into a "plastic-free travel" sightseeing environment, including requiring local residents to stop providing disposable toilet utensils to tourists and catering operators not to provide free tableware for domestic customers. It is also pointed out that the EPA plans to turn all local accommodation into low-carbon and environmentally friendly hotels within two years.

With regard to the goal of beautifying the environment, the EPD will set up drinking fountains in various parts of Little Ryukyu to encourage people to bring their own water bottles. Li Yingyuan pointed out that if 1 million tourists come to Xiao Ryukyu every year to buy a bottle of Baote water, they will create 100 waste bottles, stressing that "plastic and carbon reduction should start from the source."

In addition, Xiao Ryukyu currently has only one wastewater treatment plant, which is difficult to deal with the annual wastewater discharge, which has a great impact on the local environment. In this regard, Li Yingyuan promised to add two more sewage treatment plants, "Shanban Wan settlement" and "China-Australia Beach settlement". "it is no problem to add three more if necessary." At the same time, the government will also promote riding electric locomotives in the hope of improving air quality, but the first wave of subsidies only buys 350 electric locomotives. Some local residents said: "there are nearly 10,000 residents on the island, 350 is not enough at all!"

The "Beach currency" campaign launched by Haiyong on working days (Photo / Lin Xiejun)

Industry: residents have already spontaneously reduced their garbage.

Li Yingyuan said that Xiao Ryukyu is the only coral reef in Taiwan, and the whole people should join hands to protect it. A friendly environment requires the cooperation of both residents and tourists. "it may be a little inconvenient, but I believe consumers will still support it."

However, some lodgers in Hsiao Ryukyu believe that the government has long promoted tourism and hopes to promote the development of local industries, but it has ignored the problems of ecological damage and environmental pollution. In contrast, most local residents have already launched clean beach activities on their own to promote garbage reduction. In the face of the Environmental Protection Agency's oath, he was a little helpless to say, "Why did the government come in now?"

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