Congratulations
I would like to thank and congratulate the Taipei Times for publishing the article about the power plant in Taichung reducing its output (“Taichung coal-fired plant lowers output amid bad air quality,” Nov. 11, page 3). As far as I know, it was the first time that an English-language newspaper or Web site published a piece of investigative journalism over the nation’s pollution problem.
Reports on the frightening pollution crisis are few and far between, and the majority on English-language news sites are copied verbatim from the government news agency or the Environmental Protection Administration.
The Taipei Times article mentioned proposed legislation in the Taichung City Government concerning measures that can be taken in times of high pollution.
I hope there are regular stories on the progress of these proposals and similar matters.
Aaron Andrews
Taichung
Going green can be fun
College students are taking an initiative to save the environment by switching to electric vehicles in their commutes. Their vehicle of choice is an electric skateboard.
A student from National Chiayi University said: “I like using the electric skateboard to go to class and ride around town. Helping the environment has never been so fun.”
A gliding sensation is accomplished by an electric motor that can propel the rider at speeds of up to 40kph.
Another student said: “It is easier to ride up a hill than to walk up.”
The surprising amount of power generated by the motor can take a 100kg person up a 15 degree hill and the brakes are powerful enough to stop them while going down the same hill.
Students have been seen carrying their skateboards into classes as they weigh just 6kg. The skateboards are sold at the Web site www.1stboards.com, which introduced the technology in Taiwan in early 2013.
A select number of students are able to test ride the skateboards as part of an initiative to minimize air pollution in places like Kaohsiung, where exhaust fumes cause air pollution to reach serious levels.
Who knew going green could be so fun?
Huang Yu-ling
Chiayi
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