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.
Eight restaurants in Taiwan yesterday secured a one-star rating from the Michelin Guide Taiwan for the first time, while three one-star restaurants from last year’s edition were promoted to two stars. Forty-three restaurants were awarded one star this year, including 34 in Taipei, five in Taichung and four in Kaohsiung. Hosu (好嶼), Chuan Ya (川雅), Sushi Kajin (鮨嘉仁), aMaze (心宴), La Vie by Thomas Buhner, Yuan Yi (元一) and Frassi in Taipei and Front House (方蒔) in Kaohsiung received a one-star rating for the first time. Hosu is known for innovative Taiwanese dishes, while Chuan Ya serves Sichuan cuisine and aMaze specializes
Taitung County is to launch charter flights to Malaysia at the end of this year, after setting up flights to Vietnam and Thailand, the Taitung County Government said yesterday. The new charter flight services, provided by low-cost carrier Batik Air Malaysia, would be part of five-day tour packages for visits to Taitung County or Malaysia. The Batik Air charter flight, with about 200 seats, would take Malaysian tourists to Taitung on Dec. 30 and then at 12:35pm return to Kuala Lumpur with Taiwanese tourists. Another charter flight would bring the Taiwanese home on Jan. 3 next year, arriving at 5:30pm, before taking the
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) plans to ease strained capacity during peak hours by introducing new fare rules restricting passengers traveling without reserved seats in 2026, company Chairman Shih Che (史哲) said Wednesday. THSRC needs to tackle its capacity issue because there have been several occasions where passengers holding tickets with reserved seats did not make it onto their train in stations packed with individuals traveling without a reserved seat, Shih told reporters in a joint interview in Taipei. Non-reserved seats allow travelers maximum flexibility, but it has led to issues relating to quality of service and safety concerns, especially during
An exhibition celebrating Taiwan and Japan’s comic culture opened on Saturday in Taichung, featuring a section that explores Taiwanese reproductions of Japanese comics from when martial law limited Japanese representation. “A Century of Manga Culture: An Encounter of Taiwan and Japan’s Youth” held its Taiwan opening ceremony at Taichung’s National Taiwan Museum of Comics after an initial one-month run in Japan’s Kyoto International Manga Museum between May 24 and June 24. Much like the Kyoto exhibition, the show mainly celebrates the comic connection between Taiwan and Japan through late Taiwanese comic book
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