The Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Education Bureau of Taoyuan City held the “8th Environmental Education Picture Book Award Ceremony” today at the Taoyuan Disaster Education Center, the nation’s first environmental education facility dedicated to the theme of disaster prevention and rescue. They also unveiled a collaborative path for sustainable development in environmental education. Guided by the concept of “New Development in Environmental Education,” this initiative takes root in the future custodians of the nation, aiming to elevate environmental education literacy and lay the foundation for Taoyuan’s journey towards sustainable development.
The 8th Environmental Education Picture Book Contest in Taoyuan City focused on environmental topics such as local characteristics, environmental education venues, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), circular economy, and net-zero carbon emissions. The contest was divided into the “Professional Demonstration Group” and the “General Creation Group,” with special awards for exceptional submissions. In the Professional Demonstration Group, Hsiao-Hsuan Chen and Mei-Cheng Li’s “Little Droplet’s Adventure - Journey into the Factory” and in the General Creation Group, I-Fang Chen’s “The Wetland Defense Battle” were awarded first place. The Special Excellence Awards included the “Sustainable Development Award” presented to Ying-Ting Shih, Mei-Chin Lin, Yu-Yu Shih, and Yu-Hsi Shih’s “Tudi Gong’s Journey through the Four Realms,” the “Circular Economy Award” given to Ching-Wen Hsu’s “The Little Mouse That Keeps Getting Richer,” and the “Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Award” received by Chen-Ying Cheng and Tang-Chih Hsu’s “The Lost Civilization.” The “Parent-Child Creation Group” awards went to Yu-Jui Su, Tzu-Hsin Li, Chen-Chih Lin, Yu-Chi Su, and Wei-Chung Hung for “Cherishing Good Times with Food” and to Yuan-You Chu, Wei-Tzu Yu, Kun-Yu Hsu, Chun-Hung Chen, and Hsin-Chieh Pu for “The Encounter between Humans and Snakes.” Additionally, there were 19 outstanding works selected as commendable pieces.
Director Shih-Wei Chen of the Department of Environmental Protection expressed that the awarded works possess a rich and diverse thematic scope, intertwining the concept of sustainable development with environmental education. Through the medium of illustrated books, they seek to foster awareness of environmental crises and challenges, encouraging individuals to implement environmentally friendly actions in their daily lives. Over the years, the promotion of environmental educational picture books has primarily aimed to stimulate a multitude of creative perspectives, enabling readers to absorb knowledge about the environment and its multifaceted aspects through different individuals’ viewpoints. For instance, the distinguished work of the Professional Demonstration Group, titled “Little Droplet’s Adventure - Journey into the Factory,” featuring the protagonist, Little Droplet, from Taoyuan’s Shimen Reservoir, leads readers on a captivating “water cycle expedition.” Through this narrative, the importance of water resource recycling is emphasized and advocated. The first-place winner in the General Creative Group, titled “The Wetland Defense Battle,” takes the backdrop of Taoyuan’s wetlands to advocate the significance of ecological preservation in safeguarding the pristine environment of these wetlands. Additionally, the work has garnered several prestigious accolades, highlighting its commitment to “sustainable development,” “circular economy,” and “net-zero carbon emissions.” Through the medium of environmental educational picture books, the aim is not only to discover the beauty of Taoyuan but also to foster an understanding of the importance of environmental sustainability. Furthermore, it encourages individuals to venture beyond the confines of their indoor spaces and immerse themselves in diverse domains, experiencing education as a broadened atmosphere of learning that extends beyond mere textual knowledge.
Commissioner Chung-Cheng Liu of the Department of Education emphasized that in response to the implementation of environmental education, outdoor education, and marine education by the Ministry of Education, the goal is to actualize the concepts of “bringing learning into the real world” and “fostering a deep connection, love, and understanding of the sea.” This is done to achieve voluntary, interactive, and mutually beneficial educational goals. Moreover, there is a concerted effort to integrate the relevant resources of environmental education, outdoor education, and marine education within our city. Moving forward, the Department of Education will further integrate environmental teaching materials, venues, and utilize diverse reading and field trip teaching models in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Protection. This aims to encourage schools at all levels to develop distinctive curriculum, along with programs such as “Satoumi and Satoyama Colleges,” to expand learning environments, strengthen experiential learning, and enhance the interest and capacity of teachers, students, and the public in co-creating a path towards sustainable development in Taoyuan aligned with the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
This year, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Education have jointly launched a series of outdoor learning activities. Through the integration of resources and strengthened collaboration across departments, diverse approaches are employed to promote and apply the principles of environmental education. Innovatively combining environmental education with outdoor education and marine education, students from all levels of schools in our city, as well as the general public, can partake in the development of “Satoumi and Satoyama Colleges” learning routes. These routes allow individuals to experience and enhance their environmental literacy through activities in daily life, learning, and travel. The Department of Environmental Protection will take the lead by organizing two rounds of experiential camps in July. Registration for each round, consisting of 30 spots, will open on June 20th. Through these outdoor activities, children will have the opportunity to explore rich ecological resources, acquire knowledge about environmental conservation, and develop a proactive concern and love for the environment and our planet.
The Department of Environmental Protection announced that the environmental education picture book awards ceremony featured a special adaptation by KSTR (theater group) titled “My Home, the Pond,” which revolved around the theme of ponds. Through an immersive stage performance, the award recipients and students from DongSing Junior High School, invited by the Taoyuan Outdoor Education and Marine Education Center, came together to safeguard and appreciate the beautiful ponds of Taoyuan. For relevant event details, please refer to the global website of Taoyuan Department of Education .
Today, the award ceremony was attended by notable figures including Shih-Wei Chen, Director of the Department of Environmental Protection, Chung-Cheng Liu, Director of the Department of Education Bureau, Councilor Chen-Yao Chu, Principal Ming-Kan Chang of Shinjie Elementary School, Principal Ping-Ching Yang of Daan Elementary School, Principal Hsiu-Lien of Futai Elementary School, Principal Yu-Ying Chang of Sanguang Elementary School, Principal Shu-Fen Lai of Yangming Elementary School, and Principal Jui-Hua Yeh of Taoyuan Municipal Special School.