Environment

While touring Taiwan with my family I got to see the island's unique natural beauty but also its pressing environmental issues. Endless betelnut production has led to erosion. After a Typhoon or earthquake, the looser soil is often unable to hold, leading to landslides. Taiwan's high standard of living has also brought severe environmental costs. Pollution is a given in Taiwan's large cities, and most of Taiwan's energy must be imported. Attempts to become energy independent have not been particularly successful. Pollution has decreased, but this is in part because Taiwan's many factories have moved off to China for China's cheaper labor and resources. Kind of reminds me of the old Chinese saying "Tian Zuo Nie You Ke Wei, Zi Zuo Nie Bu Ke Huo". When heaven causes troubled (natural disasters), there are ways to make do. When mankind causes trouble with nature, there is no escape. I've been reading The Bride At the End of the World by Yale's Gus Speth, so a lot interesting thoughts have been going through my head. I'll write more about it when I get a chance to.

On a different note, I did find one aspect of Taipei's waste management system very interesting. In New York, we put our garbage out in front of our homes twice a week and a truck comes by to pick it up. Because of Taipei's narrow lanes and high population density, such as system would be difficult to implement. Instead, trucks come by once a day to specific locations where residents from all surrounding blocks can come out and throw there own garbage in the truck. The trucks play a version of Fur Elise that would not be out of place if played by an ice cream truck.

Pictures:

Endless fields of betelnuts in Puli township. Betelnut overproduction has contributed to erosion.

A broken windmill lies still on the southern coast. Heat and humidity have caused over 40% of Taiwan's windmills to break down.

Inside the base of Taipei 101. Taiwan imports more than 90% of its energy.