While many families follow tradition and change their furniture during the Lunar New Year period, the New Taipei City Government’s Bureau of Environmental Protection, in light of disadvantaged families being unable to afford furniture, is restarting a program to help distribute still usable furniture to families in need.
A mother of two, surnamed Tsai (蔡), who comes from Vietnam, said she divorced her husband after suffering abuse and finally settled in Linkou District (林口). Tsai said she works at a factory for a living, earning about NT$20,000 per month, but after paying rent and daily expenses, the family has little left, adding that the family does not even own a bed, closet or table.
Bureau chief Cheng Ta-wei (程大維) said there are many families in a similar position to Tsai’s.
The program aims to promote a healthy cycle of resources, Cheng said, adding that it hoped to prove the phrase: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Saying the program was first initiated in 2008, Cheng added that, to date, it has distributed more than 10,583 pieces of furniture to more than 5,347 people, aiding 1,404 families in need and cutting back waste and garbage by 215 tonnes.
Cheng called on municipal residents to call the bureau if they wish to donate furniture or appliances, adding that the bureau would see to distributing the furniture to those who need it.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
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