Yuan Ze University Promoted “Earth Week” to Put Sustainability into Action in Response to Earth Day

In response to the 2026 Earth Day theme, “Our Power, Our Planet | Earth Power,” the Sustainability Development and Social Responsibility Center at Yuan Ze University organized a series of “Earth Week” activities during the week of April 22.

Centered on three key themes—visual engagement, hands-on experiences, and action-based practice—the activities transformed climate change and sustainability issues into concepts that were understandable, participatory, and actionable in everyday campus life, guiding faculty and students to translate sustainability values into concrete actions.

The series opened with the Second Climate Tipping Point Film Festival, which featured a screening of the documentary Echoes of Glaciers on April 21. Through powerful imagery of accelerating glacier melt, the film illustrated the environmental impacts of global warming. A post-screening discussion invited Hung-Wen Tseng, Deputy Secretary-General of the Green Citizens’ Action Alliance, to engage in dialogue with students. The discussion guided participants from emotional resonance toward reflection on personal action pathways in the face of climate change, encouraging them to consider how everyday choices could help mitigate environmental degradation and escalating risks, making “understanding” the starting point for action.

On Earth Day, a campus ecological tour was held, leading faculty and students into campus green spaces for close observation of plants, animals, and ecosystems. Through professional guidance, participants not only learned about campus tree species and biodiversity but also gained a deeper understanding of trees' role as carbon sinks and the importance of biodiversity. The tour strengthened the connection between people and nature and fostered a concrete and sustained awareness of environmental action.

The third event focused on food systems and sustainability, featuring a talk by Yung-Chun Lu, Marketing Director of YesHealth iFarm. Drawing from practical experience in vertical smart farming, the lecture explained how technology could respond to challenges posed by climate change and food security. Students were guided to reflect on the relationship between dietary choices and the environment, cultivating their ability to plan and propose feasible solutions when facing climate impacts and food supply challenges, thereby moving sustainability from awareness to practice.

In addition, Yuan Ze University continued to introduce innovative technologies to promote low-carbon actions. AI-powered smart recycling machines were installed on campus, integrating image recognition and data platforms to improve recycling accuracy and participation among faculty and students. This initiative enabled recycling behaviors to be recorded and accumulated as part of daily routines, gradually shaping a low-carbon lifestyle on campus.

Yuan Ze University stated that when sustainability was no longer limited to classroom knowledge but could be internalized through a film screening, an experiential activity, or a concrete action, meaningful change could truly occur. Through the “Earth Week” series, the University aimed to transform the campus into a living space for sustainability practice and position universities as vital starting points for driving social change.