Two dozen students from Ciao Jhen Elementary School in Yunlin County’s Dounan Township recently hit the streets, not to protest or petition, but to advocate reduced use of plastic by shop owners, for love of the Earth. They called on shop owners to refrain from providing plastic bags and disposable tableware unless customers ask for them.
“Aunts and uncles, how do you do? We are students of Ciao Jhen Elementary School. There is only one Earth. Please support the campaign to protect the Earth by using fewer plastic bags.” The students marched from their school to the streets in front of Dounan Railway Station, where they walked into every store to champion the cause. If they encountered older people who did not understand Mandarin, they used Hoklo to patiently explain what they were trying to do.
Lee Pei-ching, director of the school’s student affairs, said the campaign was initiated by the students, who arranged the routes and designed the content of the campaign, the posters and slogans. It was a praiseworthy effort and should be encouraged, she said.
Photo: Huang Shu-li, Liberty Times
照片:自由時報記者黃淑莉
Student Shen Tzu-yu pointed out that there is only one Earth. She said that plastic bags are silent killers of marine life and do not decay after being buried, and they reduce the lifespan of incinerators if burned. Plastic bags also affect human health. Reduction and reuse will reduce environmental damage and pollution. As we all belong to this Earth, we should aspire to do what we can for the planet, she said.
When they saw the the children coming to visit, many shop owners stopped their work and listened attentively to their cause. They all promised to join the trend to use fewer plastic bags by asking customers whether they need a bag and only giving them to those who need them.
(Liberty Times, translated by Ethan Zhan)
雲林縣斗南鎮僑真國小二十多位學童走上街頭,不是抗議,也不是陳情,是要向店家宣導「愛護地球少用塑膠袋」,希望店家不要主動提供塑膠袋、免洗餐具給客人。
「阿姨、叔叔您們好,我們是僑真國小學童,地球只有一個,請您支持少用塑膠袋愛護地球活動。」學童從僑真國小步行到斗南火車站前街道,每一家店都走進去宣導,遇到聽不懂國語的長輩,學童也以台語慢慢說明來意。
僑真國小學務主任李沛菁表示,這次活動是由學童自主發起,從路線、宣導內容、海報、標語都是學生規劃、製作,值得讚賞及鼓勵。
學童沈子鈺指出,地球只有一個,塑膠袋是海洋生物沈默殺手,掩埋不會腐爛、焚化會減少焚化爐壽命;塑膠袋也會影響人體健康,減少使用、重複使用可降低對環境破壞及污染;我們也是地球的一份子,希望能為地球盡一份心力。
許多店家看到小朋友到訪,停下手邊工作並仔細聆聽他們的宣導,也都允諾加入少用塑膠袋行列,主動詢問顧客有需要才提供塑膠袋。
(自由時報記者黃淑莉)
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