As of 2022, Tzu Chi has 8,656 recycling centers and stations in 21 countries and regions around the globe with 104,314 environmental protection volunteers participating in the recycling mission to safeguard the Earth in a practical way.
Since Master Cheng Yen started advocating the importance of reducing waste and promoting recycling in 1990, volunteers from all over Taiwan, regardless of age and background, have begun recycling everywhere. Undaunted by mess, grime, and strenuous labor, they have humbled themselves to bend down and pick up recyclables with unwavering dedication and selflessness; all driven by a heartfelt desire to do their part for Mother Nature.
In 1996, Tzu Chi organized the first Environmental Volunteer Seminar in Taiwan to help improve volunteers’ knowledge of environmental protection. The next year, a new community volunteer structure was set up; it changed the volunteering network from one based on ‘social connections’ to one based on the ‘neighborhood community’.
This allowed environmental protection to be promoted to everyone in each community and encouraged each neighborhood to practice recycling. Setting up recycling points and centers in each community was also an effective way to raise awareness and engage people in recycling.
Shortly after, Tzu Chi volunteers started to advocate community-based recycling in each family home. The volunteers go house to house to promote recycling, advise everyone to cook at home, and reduce takeaway packaging when bringing food home. They also teach people how to sort household waste and clean used bottles and cans to keep pests away. This was done to improve waste management as better-quality recyclables will increase the reusability of these materials. From an individual to the community, and from the community to each family, Master Cheng Yen believes that as long as we change our mindset and practice recycling in our lives, cleaning up the Earth is not impossible. Each individual brings additional strength and support to achieve this goal!
Tzu Chi Environmental Volunteers in Every Corner
From bustling cities to quiet rural villages, Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan collect and sort recyclables to protect Mother Earth. Their counterparts in 16 other countries and regions do the same.
These volunteers willingly take up unpaid and often unsung work. They know that every time they contribute time and effort, they slow global warming a tiny little bit.
The daily output of garbage in our modern consumer society is staggering, so imagine the burden on the environmental volunteers. We can all help to ease their burden by refusing and reducing waste, pitching in as volunteers, or sorting our own garbage for recycling. Small actions, when combined, can play a big role in protecting the environment. May there be an environmental volunteer born every minute to help protect Mother Nature.
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