Do locals just not care about air pollution or...?

That would be wind though. He was saying there is no wind.

The way any street I can find multiple piles of rubbish.

I would agree they have taken may steps to improve. But if there is room for further improvement why not take them.

Taiwan definitely should. I don’t think anyone is saying otherwise

Listing of countries by PM 2.5.
European countries, N. A merica and Australia are at the bottom. Cleanest mentioned are actually in the Carribean (helped by the fact that they are tiny islands ).

Completely wrong. This winter has been worse than the last winter because the wind is weaker when it blows down south, AND because China had no industrial output last year. In the particular bad days there’s no wind at all.

It’s never bad in summer because wind comes from the south. If you believe otherwise you are deluded.

I don’t remember much about Australia but I can assure you streets in Taiwan are not remotely dirtier than many first world countries. Most of the time it’s a lot cleaner. If you believe otherwise you are deluded.

And Australia is hands down the most coal-dependent country in the world. The energy policy is the worst in the world with 3/4 of electricity generation being coal. If Australia were Taiwan’s size it would be twice as polluted.

2 Likes

never say never

1 Like

It’s a difficult issue for most people. Don’t forget that people in Taiwan contract natural lung cancer. At least that’s what they call it. Of course it’s pollution related but maybe they feel better if they think it’s a natural occurrence. The world is currently undergoing a transition. Transitions can be quite painful processes. Just ask a heroin addict that stops taking heroin. Governments have been addicted to the revenue that comes with every liter of gas sold.

Taiwan is well placed to benefit from the switch to renewables. Particularly wind with the coastline and mountains. The other huge leap will be battery performance. And that will come with hemp batteries. Of course this little island with the oldest recorded use of hemp (5300BC) will need to re-examine their strange and outdated view of the plant and embrace it for both domestic and industrial uses.

The other issue is development. There are 8.5 million homes/apartments across the island. 1.2 million of them are sitting empty. Ma Ying Jeou wanted to bring in negative gearing and allow Mainland Chinese to purchase homes which only would have supercharged the developers and increased prices in an already completely unaffordable market. Most properties are not built sustainably. In fact you wouldn’t want to drink the water from most houses and it all runs through PVC piping rather that polypipe which is the standard in other countries. Real change will come when developers are required to include green walls and carbon offset rooftops with their buildings. That will help to absorb micro particulates and along with more and more electric vehicles hitting the streets will see a drastic change in air pollution rates over the coming years.

2 Likes

So rubbish left in the streets and parks is better than most western countries? You’re delusional.

I’m not good at math but 3/4 is larger than 56% right?

1 Like

Lol have you been to a dirtier first world country?

56% is still amongst the highest in the world. Taiwan’s is only 35%. Go figure.

No I haven’t been to any country dirtier than Taiwan. Even when I traveled through South America I saw many rubbish bins on streets being used by locals. The towns were not clean by my standards but they were cleaner than Taiwan’s.

A small fraction of a small fraction is a smaller fraction. Understand.

Your belligerent defense of social and environmental issues in Taiwan in awesome. I think you’re an interesting person.

You need to see the trees for the wood. You’re purposely being blind to real issues your country faces. Simple low hanging fruit. Easy wins.

Come on Mr oh so smart I know everything, no one knows more than me. Give evidence to prove your assertions.

1 Like

Have you tried one of these? Great way to protect yourself from air pollution when others open the windows and/or don’t switch on the air purifier.

42c340e66185b58da473f1c39167403b

2 Likes

You ever been to the Caribbean? Some places are completely overrun, and not by their doing. There’s so much trash in the ocean it washes onshore. Some parts of US cities are extremely dirty, especially the densely populated ones.

TW is pretty clean for the pop. density it sustains on its west coast.

3 Likes

i just walked outside into our apartment complex and there was a terrible burning smell.

I was 'uh oh not from the temple across the street again ’ and then I realised it’s one of my Goddamn ignorant neighbours burning ghost money . He cannot even go across the street to burn his shit. He went to the corner of the complex as if it will make any real difference. Open burning , surely violates many laws but nobody says or does anything.

I’ve confronted a few before but when you confront them you suddenly always become the bad guy for ‘disrupting social harmony’. Taiwan!

How many countries in the world allow people to burn polluting shit regularly in their communal courtyards or on the sidewalks ? It’s extremely uncivilised. The worst bit is that 99% of the reason they do it is just praying for money.

They never change their ways if you confront them, even if you explain about the air pollution harming health , they are selfish bastards in the first place. They think if they stop doing it their will have less money from the money or kitchen God. Really dumb.

Outside though today the air seems to be as good as you’ll get with a fresh wind blowing.

It’s streets and parks are actually clean, except for dog shit and cigarette butts. Most cig butts are thrown down the drain !

But the general environment is contaminated including it’s coasts (yes some of the beaches used to be rubbish dumps but that stopped years ago). These days fishing gear abd fishermen seem to be the main culprit on the beaches and harbours . Taiwan harbours are also often disgusting full of trash thrown around by fishermen , I know I have visited many , why, not sure :grin:.

Tanshui estuary is extremely polluted, many reports recently. Taiwanese have a very long way to go in cleaning up the place.

The good parts IMHO are the many national parks in the mountains. Quite pristine and strictly managed.

6 Likes

Table 3

Country Mismanaged
plastic waste
(Mt) Income status Coastal population
(millions) Per capita plastic
waste generation
(kg/day) % Plastic in
solid waste % Mismanaged
waste
Indonesia 4.28 LMC 202.49 0.68 14.0 61
India 3.16 LMC 201.20 0.57 9.5 79
United States, upper bound 1.45 HIC 117.94 2.72 13.1 2.98
Thailand 1.16 UMC 26.73 1.08 17.6 62
China 1.07 UMC 270.94 0.44 9.8 25
Brazil 1.03 UMC 78.68 1.05 13.5 25
Philippines 1.01 LMC 92.06 0.39 10.6 74
Egypt, Arab Rep. 0.71 LMC 24.82 0.68 13.0 90
Japan 0.67 HIC 114.26 0.96 11.0 15
Russian Federation 0.62 UMC 10.93 1.13 14.2 98
Vietnam 0.57 LMC 59.46 0.34 12.2 64
United States, lower bound 0.51 HIC 117.94 2.72 13.1 2.33
Bangladesh 0.36

I doubt that report above is accurate about the US being the worst. Places like China and Indonesia are horrendous.

1 Like