The Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan cooperated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to hold the “Air Quality Monitoring Camp” at Stella Matutina Girls’ High School in Taichung City to teach students to experience how the practice and operate simple and easy air quality sensor to understand the air quality, pollution sources, and environmental pollutants. This was an opportunity to learn the basic knowledge of air pollution and the relationship between air pollution and health and develop the environmentally-friendly concept. Since the performance of Stella Matutina Girls’ High School is quite outstanding, the Central Government and U.S. announced today (the 19th day of the month) that Stella Matutina Girls’ High School would represent Taiwan participating in the “International Air Quality Monitoring Camp” to further gain international experience.

The central Environmental Protection Administration, U.S Environmental Protection Agency, and Environmental Protection Bureau of the Taichung City Government held the announcement ceremony today at Stella Matutina Girls’ High School, and officially announced that Stella Matutina Girls’ High School would represent Taiwan participating in the environmental education activity of “International Air Quality Monitoring Camp” scheduled for this year to be held in Thailand. Environmental Protection Administration Deputy Minister Fu Shu-Chiang, Environmental Protection Bureau Deputy Director Chen Hung-Yi, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Assistant Administrator Jane Nishida, AIT Director Kin Moy, AIT Environment, Science, Technology and Health Officer Frederick E. Brust, and Stella Matutina Girls’ High School President Chu Nan-Tzu all attended the Ceremony and presented their compliments.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Assistant Administrator Jane Nishida noted that in the event “Cities Clean Air Partnership Project” held on the day before Earth Day last year, he was very impressed by experience and practical activities in participating in the Air Quality Monitoring Camp shared by student representatives from Stella Matutina Girls’ High School. Therefore, the Agency continued to work with Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration to invite Stella Matutina Girls’ High School in Taichung City participate in the “International Air Quality Monitoring Camp” in the hope that a successful experience could be duplicated in Thailand.

Director Moy also said that this activity had deep educational meaning to allow students to have more in-depth exploration of global air pollution issues. He also gave credit to students from Stella Matutina Girls’ High School for their international vision and excellent foreign language ability. They were welcomed to the United States for their future education and development, to make contributions to global environmental issues.

Deputy Minister Fu noted that, to have domestic young students understand the climate change and the impact on the surrounding environment from air pollution, starting from 2014, with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s assistance, the “Air Quality Monitoring Camp” was held for two consecutive years. Through personal experience and practice, the trainees can operate simple and easy air quality sensor to understand the air quality, pollution sources, and pollutants of the life around and learn the basic knowledge of air pollution and the relationship between air pollution and health, and further develop the environmentally-friendly concept.

Deputy Director Chen, on behalf of Mayor Lin Chia-lung, thanked the Central Government and U.S. for providing a valuable opportunity for Stella Matutina Girls’ High School to attend the “International Air Quality Monitoring Camp” held in Thailand. Taichung City was not only honored, but the City’s international visibility of environmental education was also greatly enhanced.

Deputy Director Chen further emphasized that the City Government had actively planed the environmentally friendly policies including the promulgation of “Self-Government Ordinances of Taichung City Public and Private Spaces Bituminous Coal Control and Petroleum Coke Prohibition,” implementation of “Space Management Autonomy Regulations,” Reforestation Plan of “One Million Trees in 8 Years,” “Free Bus in 10km,” “Creation of the Economy of Green Cities,” and so on to protect citizens’ health and the environment and build Taichung as a capital city for living with “pleasant people and places.”

Contact Person: Huang Ying-Hao

Contact Phone No.: 04-22276011 ext. 66136