The Editor says: The Taiwan Environmental Information Association has long been a dedicated partner in ocean advocacy. Beyond raising awareness through writing and interviews, they organize a series of marine debris monitoring and coral reef check activities, turning passion into action. Yet like any organization, they face real-world challenges. If you share their love of the ocean, you can do more than join beach cleanup and ocean cleanup events — there are other ways to show your support!
Donate NT$1,000 Now and Get a T-Shirt — Ocean & Coast Protection Action Plan
What is the Taiwan Environmental Information Association's Ocean & Coast Program?
The Taiwan Environmental Information Association recognized that the government has long prioritized land over the sea — not only in infrastructure development, but also in public education, leaving ocean issues severely underrepresented. The United Nations has also warned that by 2048 we could face an ecological catastrophe with no fish left to catch. In response, we launched the "Protecting Taiwan's Oceans and Coastlines Action Plan" in 2012, combining coral reef checks, marine debris monitoring, ocean environmental education, and the Coastline 99 reporting platform to put the ideals of marine conservation and sustainable development into practice.
Sounds serious — so what have you actually changed?
Since 2013, we have held monthly beach cleanups at Guoshengpu Beach while implementing marine debris monitoring to build a long-term record of the composition of shoreline waste. The accumulated analysis has been applied to environmental education and policy advocacy. In July of last year, we joined other civil society groups and the Environmental Protection Administration to form the Taiwan Marine Debris Governance Platform, launching the "Marine Debris Governance Action Plan." This effort pushed the government to announce a plastics reduction timeline, committing to a full ban on four single-use plastics (straws, beverage cups, shopping bags, and disposable tableware) by 2030.
Over five years of work, we also successfully advocated for two coral species to be listed in the Wildlife Conservation Category. Long-term monitoring data we collected at ShanYuan in Taitung was cited as evidence of the Meiliwan Hotel's damage to the local marine ecosystem. In 2018, the Association entered its tenth year of conducting coral reef checks. We continue to document conditions every year, recruiting more than 100 diving volunteers to assess reefs at over 10 marine sites around Taiwan, while actively training ecologically certified divers recognized by the Reef Check Foundation.
Wait — so what does protecting the ocean have to do with this T-shirt?
Ocean protection requires a long-term commitment. Coral reef checks and marine debris monitoring especially depend on sustained, uninterrupted execution before meaningful change and results can be observed. Only by accumulating baseline data over time can we measure the true impact of any given event on the environment.
The Association is an independent, non-partisan public-benefit organization unaffiliated with any political party, corporation, or individual. Every environmental protection program we run depends entirely on donations from the public and businesses to keep going. This T-shirt is a donation gift we designed and produced — not only as a token of gratitude to our donors, but as a daily reminder. We hope that every time you wear it, it calls to mind the ocean's plight and inspires you to reduce single-use plastic in your everyday life, so that we who live on this island can each do our part to protect the blue that surrounds us.
Finally, let us tell you what makes this T-shirt special
For the fabric, we chose organic cotton to minimize contamination of cotton fields by pesticides and defoliants, and to keep plastic microfibers out of the ocean. In terms of design, a warm yellow backdrop carries a declaration to end plastic pollution; the adorable sea turtle and seabird in the lower left corner represent animals that are frequent victims of mistakenly ingesting marine debris; and over the heart is a plump little Earthling alongside a smiling planet. The design may seem like a blend of contradictions — but our message is this: The truth may be harsh, yet never give up hope for change.
After everything we've shared, we'd like to invite you: donate NT$1,000 to support our ongoing work to protect the ocean — and take home this amazing organic cotton T-shirt.
Donate NT$1,000 Now and Get a T-Shirt — Ocean & Coast Protection Action Plan
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