Next time you check into a hotel, remember to pack your own toothbrush and comb to help protect the planet, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said yesterday.
The EPA issued the call during a press conference promoting "green hotels" -- those with reduced energy consumption and waste.
"The average mid-sized hotel [from 150 to 500 rooms] consumes more disposable personal care products in a week than 100 families in a year," said Yang Ching-shi (
The definition of a "green hotel," however, does not stop at discontinuing the provision of plastic shower caps or disposable razors. Citing a 2001 study, Yang said that at 902 liters, water consumption per person per day was three times the domestic usage.
"Take for example the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel in the US, which received a Gold Rating for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design from the US Green Building Council," Yang said.
"The environmentally friendly hotel, run by Taiwanese-American Chang Wen-i (
In Taiwan, Leofoo Development Co (
The hotels will cease to offer disposable products such as toothbrushes and razors in guest rooms, Westin marketing communications assistant manager Fennie Kuo (
"In addition, we will provide shampoo and conditioner with a free travel pack so that guests can take them away after they check out. We hope this will help promote the concept of bringing your own personal products on trips."
Yang said that more than 80 percent of hotels had responded positively in a questionnaire in which they were asked if they would participate in the campaign.
"As such, the administration will establish certification guidelines next year," Yang said.
"Hotels can voluntarily apply for the certification and customers who wish to frequent environmentally friendly hotels can use [this certification] as a reference," he said.
The administration is hosting a poll to select the nation's top-10 green hotels, Yang said.
People can nominate hotels and vote online at www.buygreentw.net through Jan. 15, where they could win prizes including an energy-friendly portable computers, he said.
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
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