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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 ‘Green points’ restaurant award program unveiled
Environmental Protection Administration Minister Chang Tzi-chin, second right, and other officials promote a “green points” restaurant award program at a news conference in Taipei on Monday. Photo: CNA
CUTTING WASTE: The points can be exchanged for environmentally friendly products and discounts on services provided by eco-friendly tourism operators
By Yang Mien-chieh and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Environmental Protection Administration （EPA） on Monday unveiled a reward program whereby customers can earn “green points” after dining at environmentally friendly restaurants, with 1 billion points valued at NT$10 million （US$337,439） to be handed out.
As part of the government’s efforts to boost the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the EPA said that users registered on its Green Points app would receive 5,000 points each time they eat at an environmentally friendly restaurant, up to a maximum of 15,000 points for each user.
There are more than 250 “green” restaurants nationwide, whose goals are to minimize waste of resources by practices such as not offering disposable utensils, prioritizing locally grown ingredients and allowing diners to customize their portions, EPA official Hung Shu-sing （洪淑幸） said.
The agency has implemented numerous measures to reduce the environmental impact of the food industry, EPA Minister Chang Tzi-chin （張子敬） said, citing its food waste policy.
People were not in the habit of separating food leftovers from regular trash until the agency promoted the practice, he said, adding that it then established mechanisms to convert leftover food into fertilizer or to produce biomass energy.
Other efforts included encouraging recycling and restricting the use of plastic utensils, as well as promoting environmentally friendly products and hotels with “green” certifications, he added.
The agency hopes that the program would persuade people to choose “green” restaurants as a top-down approach to minimizing waste of resources, Chang said.
Using local ingredients prevents environmental damage caused during transportation, while opting for ingredients that are in season helps cut down on the use of pesticides and fertilizer, he said.
Green points can be exchanged for a wide range of environmentally friendly products and discounts on services provided by eco-friendly tourism operators, the agency said.
People can find out more information about the program at greenpoint.org.tw, it said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
