Kaohsiung Extends Plastic Reduction from Hotels to Baseball Cheers: 71.74 Million Items and Over 8,200 Tons of Carbon Reduced Annually

With concerts and sports events drawing crowds, Kaohsiung's 'concert economy' is boosting tourism while advancing urban sustainability. The Kaohsiung City Environmental Protection Bureau is extending plastic reduction efforts from accommodations to tourism, daily life, and baseball stadiums, promoting initiatives such as reducing single-use amenities in hotels, sustainable water supply, and reusable cups at events. Over 1,300 hotel rooms have joined the initiative, estimated to reduce approximately 71.74 million disposable items and 460,000 plastic bottles annually, cutting carbon emissions by about 8,262 metric tons—allowing visitors to enjoy the city while leaving a lighter environmental footprint.

The Environmental Protection Bureau has partnered with TSG Hawks cheerleader 'Yi-Li' to promote the 'Eco Trio'—reusable cup, reusable bag, and reusable food container—demonstrating how to reduce plastic in daily life. As large-scale concerts and sports events continue to attract visitors, Kaohsiung is actively integrating sustainability into tourism and leisure experiences, promoting plastic reduction across accommodations, transportation, and event venues, encouraging citizens and tourists to embrace low-carbon practices during their stay.

Over 1,300 hotel rooms have now joined the plastic reduction and sustainable water supply initiatives, installing water filters and public drinking fountains to reduce reliance on disposable amenities and bottled water. The Bureau estimates this will cut approximately 71.74 million disposable hotel items and 460,000 plastic bottles annually, reducing carbon emissions by about 8,262 metric tons—accumulating citywide carbon reduction through small changes in accommodations.

To bring plastic reduction closer to daily life, the Bureau has invited TSG Hawks cheerleader 'Yi-Li' to model eco-friendly behaviors, sharing how to 'use a little less plastic' while traveling. The Bureau reminds the public that simply preparing the 'Eco Trio'—reusable cup, reusable bag, reusable food container—before heading out enables everyone to practice plastic reduction in everyday life.

The Bureau recommends bringing your own food container when dining out, carrying personal toiletries when staying at hotels, and prioritizing public transportation during travel. Starting with just one cup, one container, and one shopping bag allows tourism and low-carbon living to coexist—enjoying Kaohsiung’s cityscapes and local cuisine while reducing environmental impact.

Plastic reduction efforts have also reached the baseball field. The Bureau, in collaboration with TSG Hawks, has introduced a reusable cup rental service at Chengcing Lake Baseball Stadium for home games, expected to eliminate about 1,200 disposable drink cups per game and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 460 kilograms.

In conjunction with the 'Hawks Music Festival' theme day, TSG Hawks has launched a limited-edition eco cup. Fans can bring their eco cup into the stadium to cheer, and refill drinking water at hydration stations set up by the Environmental Protection Bureau—combining 'watching the game, cheering, and reducing plastic' into one seamless experience, embedding sustainability into the most passionate moments of fan culture.

The Bureau emphasizes that plastic reduction doesn’t need to start with complex changes—the 'Eco Trio' is the easiest daily action for everyone. Through joint efforts from large events, hotel operators, and popular cheerleaders, the goal is to make sustainability not just a policy, but a natural choice in the lives of citizens and visitors.

The Bureau also invites citizens to join 'Yi-Li' in embracing a plastic-free lifestyle. By liking the designated post on the Kaohsiung City Environmental Protection Bureau’s Facebook page and commenting to share their daily plastic reduction actions, participants can enter a lucky draw to win a 100 NTD gift voucher—encouraging everyone to explore Kaohsiung with less plastic and protect the city.