Are only activists protesting against Changhua’s air pollution?

Taiwan's coal power plant at Wuchi, Taichung was named by Nature magazine as the world's dirtiest power plant.

Today's Taipei Times tells us that "Activists protest against Changhua's air pollution." The article goes on to say that "Environmental activists rallied in front of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday afternoon, demanding it set an upper limit for the total air pollutant emissions for central Taiwan and establish an air quality monitoring station in Changhua County." It would seem those pesky, nothing-better-to-do environmental activists are at it again. But is it just activists that are getting upset? In recent weeks we've seen tens of thousands of people come out in protest of various issues from military abuse to the Dapu demolitions. We've seen two defense ministers go in a week. And were all those protesting citizens that took to the streets activists? Certainly not! They were regular people like you and me upset at the abuse of power by the authorities and this time they have a legitimate concern about air pollution in central Taiwan. Afterall, two of the world's top ten dirtiest power plants are located in that area. But time and time again when concerned folks take to the streets they are labeled as activists and made to look like a bunch of hippy radicals. This brings to mind a letter that appeared in the Taipei Times last year; It's all in the name. 

Taipei Times letter- July 30, 2012.

It’s all in the name

What one calls a terrorist another calls a liberator. It is all in the name; how those who hold power or desire power wish the masses to perceive something. The media obviously plays its part in all this.

Take the Taipei Times article “Environmentalists protest over EIA” (July 26, page 3). Environmentalists? Images of long-haired hippie types stuck in a 1960s mindset rambling on about free love and Mother Earth come to mind. And I am pretty sure that is just what some politicians, developers and corporations want you to think. “Yeah, the lunatic fringe up in arms again causing disruptions!”

The first paragraph of the article read as follows:

“Environmentalists yesterday protested against an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for an expansion project at a naphtha cracker complex that failed to include fine particles.”

You would be forgiven for thinking it was just those pesky environmentalists that have a problem with an environmental impact assessment for the fourth phase expansion project at Formosa Plastics Corp’s sixth naphtha cracker complex in Yunlin County’s Mailiao Township (麥寮). Some group of crazy green bunny-huggers whining about fine particles not being listed.

Now, let us delete “environmentalists” and give a more accurate description of those that typically are present at these protests against the expansion projects down in Mailao:

“Concerned local residents, civic groups, fishers, farmers, workers, teachers, academics, parents, lawyers, doctors, conservation and environmental groups yesterday protested against an EIA for an expansion project at a naphtha cracker complex that failed to include fine particles.”

OK, it is a bit long, but you get the point. It sounds different, doesn’t it? It changes things. We relate to these people. They are us. They do not sound so loony.

However, the Taipei Times so often boxes these regular folks and organizations as “environmentalists” or “activists” or some other “ism.” I am sure the so-called developers must smile at this subtle eroding of Joe Citizen’s image and credibility.

You see. It is not just environmentalists that are pissed off with Formosa Plastics and its toxic hell down in Mailiao. After all the pollution, fires, greed and lack of ethics, after soaring cancer rates, dirty air and smokey gray skies, people have had enough. They want to know why the Environmental Protection Agency allows this toxic nightmare to continue.

However, others would have you believe it is just some nutty environmentalists who have a problem with it.

T.W. Sousa, Yunlin County

New wasp species found in Taiwan

The newly described wasp Hydrophylita emporos riding on a damselfly. Photo Wikimedia Commons.


With one of the highest counts of biodiversity per square kilometre on the planet, it really isn't surprising that new species continued to be discovered on Taiwan. And once again the discovery stresses the need to protect Taiwan's incredibly rich fragile environment. So much of natural Taiwan has disappeared under layers of concrete before the complex ecosystems it hosted could be studied. Yet, government continues to kowtow to heavy industry and their destructive brand of "development." And so one of the most remarkable natural wonders on the planet will continued to be trashed for a quick buck because a few already very rich people can grow even richer raping Taiwan's natural resources while spinning the myth that it benefits us all.

The Taipei Times reports that "a team of entomologists from National Taiwan University have discovered a new species — a tiny wasp that relies on damselflies for procreation." Read the story of the discovery of Hydrophylita emporos; a wasp within a genus that has just four other species and that until this discovery was confined to South America.

  

Turtle Smuggling

Yellow-margined Box Turtle, photo Wikipedia.


Today's Taipei Times reports that "The Coast Guard Administration on Saturday intercepted 2,626 protected turtles being smuggled to China, seizing them and handing them over to the Forestry Bureau for emergency treatment and examination."

The article goes on to say that there was found to be "1,446 yellow-margined box turtles (aka. snake-eating turtle) and 1,180 Asian brown pond turtles — both listed under rare valuable species according to the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法)."

The Yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) is a land turtle/tortoise native to Taiwan and is listed on the INCN list of Red Data species as Endangered. The smuggling of turtles to China and other countries for food or the pet trade has become big business. In the current tough economic climate there has been a marked increase in poaching. Many villagers see poaching as a way to make money when other jobs are hard to come by.

Taipower vows Gongliao plant is safe! Believe them? They've seen the future......?

The Taipei Times reported today under the following headline that "Taipower vows Gongliao plant is safe." The article goes on to say that Taipower says, "The company gave its assurances on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant after a member of a monitoring committee expressed doubts over the facility’s design." That member of the monitoring committee isn't the only one to express doubts. To a great many citizens that remember the Fukushima nuclear disaster in neighboring Japan it just doesn't seem safe to have a nuclear plant located near volcanoes on and island prone to earthquakes and typhoons. Earthquakes can generate tsunamis and Taiwan is an island on the Pacific rim just the same as Japan. A number of so-called wise people in the employ of Taipower and the government assure us that the plant is safe. While a lot of other wise people say it isn't. This brings to mind a letter written by Yain Tsai that appeared in the Liberty Times last year. Some good food for thought. Here's a translation of that letter.

Sleep well Taipei !

Nuclear Safety: Taiwan Dawdles Behind the Philippines

By TSAI Yain

Recent news reports picked up on Prof. CHEN Zhenghong’s warnings that an eruption of the Datun volcanoes could result in two to three meters of ash falling on the nearby first and second nuclear plants. CHEN, former deputy minister of the National Science Council is currently a professor of geology at National Taiwan University. In response, Atomic Energy Council Minister TSAI Chunhong has said if we really were to encounter such a scenario he has no idea how to handle it.

CHEN’s warnings bring to mind the 1990 film “Dreams” by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, where the sixth “dream” describes an eruption of Mount Fuji and the resulting molten lava spills onto six nearby nuclear power reactors. As the people flee from the exploding plants, a person cries: “Japan is too small; we simply have nowhere to hide!” Finally they flee to the beach, and with nowhere to escape, they jump into the sea. Even the dolphins can’t escape the disaster. Meanwhile, nuclear power personnel, in their protective suits and ties look on as the sky fills with highly toxic plutonium 239, strontium 90, cesium 137 and other deadly isotopes forming radioactive clouds. They exclaim how the folly of humankind surpasses all imagination. Given their understanding of immense pain and suffering in store for those exposed to high doses of radiation, the “suits” apologize to the people around them before taking their own lives by jumping into the apocalyptic ocean. 

This 20-year-old film is now seen as somewhat prophetic in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. While these words of warning failed to prevent the Fukushima nuclear disaster, perhaps it is not too late for Taiwan to heed the warning? Could Taiwan prevent a nuclear catastrophe if the Datun volcanoes erupted? 

Taiwan’s first and second nuclear plants, with a total of four reactors are built next to the Datun volcanic group. An eruption would surely lead to nuclear disaster; and with Taiwan being much smaller than Japan, we would have even less chance of escape. With the Atomic Energy Council’s minister admitting that he does not know how to deal with such a disaster what are ordinary people expected to think or do? 

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in the Philippines was built close to volcanoes and faults. Although the construction was completed, for security reasons, the plant has never gone into operation. The first and second nuclear power plants in Taiwan lie on active faults near the Datun volcanoes. Their proximity to metropolitan areas means that a serious nuclear incident would affect millions of people. It is absolutely imperative that the government moves now to decommission these plants and remove this insanely cataclysmic threat to the people of Taiwan.     

Yain TSAI is a lawyer with the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Taiwan and also chairs the Environmental Law Committee of the Taipei Bar Association.