Taiwan temples go green in battle to reduce smog
Worshippers asked to embrace alternative practices that don’t pollute air
Smoke billows daily from temples across Taiwan as visitors burn incense and paper money to bring luck and prosperity – but that familiar fragrant haze could be a thing of the past as concerns grow over ritual pollutants.
The potential damage to the environment and to the health of devotees from staggering levels of dangerous particles in the air is leading some temples and festivals to seek alternative – if less spectacular – practices, despite resistance from worshippers.
Famous temples such as the Taoist Nan Yao in central Changhua city – one of the island’s largest and oldest temples – are playing firecracker CDs instead of launching the real thing, as well as encouraging followers to clap hands to create smoke-free noise.
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The Taoist Hsing Tian Kong temple in Taipei has banned worshippers from burning incense, requesting they simply bring their hands together to pray, instead of holding the burning sticks.
Other temples are sending paper offerings to be burned at state incinerators so the fumes can be treated.
And in New Taipei City, water lanterns that pollute the river have been replaced with a wall of lanterns outside a temple. While the new alternatives may not be quite as atmospheric, activists say it is time for change.