Activist Picks Up Cigarette Butts for Environmental Cause
Taiwanese environmental activist Chiang Yun-chien is halfway through her six-day trek along northeastern Yilan County's coast to clean cigarette butts off the streets.
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00:00 Picking up one cigarette butt at a time,
00:02 Jiang Yun-hsien is raising awareness of cigarette butt littering.
00:06 There is a very dangerous component in cigarette butts called "cigarette tobacco."
00:12 In fact, besides nicotine, cigarettes also contain many toxic substances.
00:16 Jiang has been working to protect the environment for years,
00:20 and regularly participates in beach cleaning events.
00:23 More recently, she's joined other volunteers cleaning an oil spill
00:27 that's hit Taiwan's northeastern coast.
00:30 The land pollution is also an issue she cares about.
00:34 Jiang's picking up cigarette butts along the entire coast
00:36 of the northeastern county of Yilan.
00:39 She's doing it for the environment and her kids.
00:42 She says she hopes to leave the world clean and safe for future generations.
00:47 Many passerby were touched by Jiang's activism and volunteered to help.
00:51 I think it's amazing that she's willing to do this.
00:55 I don't think it's dirty.
00:59 Jiang says she often sees cigarette butts tossed on the streets.
01:03 But this kind of littering doesn't just harm the environment.
01:06 In most places in Taiwan, it's an offense you can get fined up to 120 U.S. dollars for.
01:12 If you don't have a place to throw it, you should bring a bag home after the smoke is gone.
01:19 Jiang is just halfway through her six-day journey,
01:23 and she's continuing to inspire people along the way,
01:26 making it clear that smokers might want to think twice before littering
01:30 and leaving the public to clean up after them.
01:33 Klein Wang and Irene Lin for Taiwan Plus.
01:35 (wind howling)