For the third consecutive year, Tunghai University won the 2021 Outstanding Contribution Award for Low-carbon Sustainable City granted by Taichung City government. This year, the award was granted to recognize Tunghai for the efforts on ameliorating the environment along Dongda Brook and its vicinity . Tunghai President Mao-Jiun Wang received the award from Deputy Mayor Bruce Linghu.
In the 21st century, "ecology, green energy, and sustainability" are common issues and responsibilities of mankind, among them "environmental sustainability" is regarded the most urgent issue. To further fulfill its social responsibilities, Tunghai University focuses on four sustainability goals, namely, ecological sustainability, cultural sustainability, social sustainability, and economic sustainability. It hopes to expand social influences through generating social values created with co-creation and peer learning.
In response to Taichung City planning and to implement environmental conservation, Tunghai launched the “Dongda Brook aquatic environment and vicinity area amelioration project” to revitalize the aquatic ecosystem of Dongda Brook and its downstream Fa-tzi River. The brook was once named the ‘dream valley’ of Tunghai University but had been polluted by the development of increasing population and commercial activities. With financial support from the Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, Taichung City Government and Tunghai University take on the challenges in improving water quality of Dongda Brook, creating hydrophilic environment, and designing environmental education programs. Through the cooperation of public and private sectors, the project aims to enrich the campus eco landscape and to bring back the aquatic vitality of Dong-da Brook area.
Tunghai University promotes the Dongda Brook remediation project with the concept of "one university guarding one stream". The short-term goal is to improve the water quality of Dongda Brook and introduce water environment education knowledge and concepts into the campus and the community, so that the public will understand the brook and its ecology. In the long run, it is hope that everyone will consciously and voluntarily become environmental practitioners so that the vision of a low-carbon sustainable home can be achieved. This project sets the best example of public-private collaboration for environmental conservation by Tunghai University cooperating with the Taichung City Government to help build a sustainable and resilient, livable city.