Page 80 - Hualien Sustainable Living Bilingual Magazine

The marine ecosystem is also one of the strong areas of NDHU.“We are the only university in Taiwan that has a College of Environmental Studies and Oceanography”. With the geographical advantages of nearby mountains and seas, NDHU has been actively playing a key role in the conservation of the marine ecosystem, and has long cooperated with the Ocean Affairs Council, R.O.C., PADI Diving Center in Hualien, and the Jonathan Su Foundation in promoting marine education. In recent years, NDHU has also joined hands with Farglory Ocean Park, Farglory Hotel Hualien, and OLAH Poshtel Hualien to hold the“Save Our Oceans”beach cleanup campaign; hundreds of participants came together to remove 510 kilograms of marine waste. In addition, NDHU expanded its diving courses to include the removal of marine waste from coral reefs under the sea. “Because of the large area of the campus, I’m quite certain that we have the largest total area of solar panels of any university in Taiwan.”NDHU chose not to destroy the native green spaces during the installation of solar panels, and instead placed solar panels on the roofs of buildings and parking lots.“Currently, solar power accounts for 14% of the university’s electricity consumption, and if things go well, it will increase to 42% by 2024 at the earliest.”After the installation of solar panels on campus, NDHU also actively helped remote communities install solar panels through NDHU’s Social Participation Office, Energy Technology Center, and in collaboration with the Industrial Technology Research Institute.“After a year’s effort, 14 solar panels were installed to complete a 5,000-watt independent solar power supply system, with the two tribal communities of Dali Village and Skadang in Xiulin Township being the most successful.” President Chao said,“Global warming is very serious and the Earth’s resources have been destroyed by our generation, so I hope that we can reverse this trend and provide a habitable Earth for the next generation.”He hopes the university’s general education courses can help build up a global civic consciousness, in which everyone understands that they are responsible for cherishing Hualien and protecting the natural environment. “All departments should have an awareness toward environmental protection, and through teaching, research, and practice, we can jointly promote sustainable development.” 75