TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a remarkable display of corporate environmental commitment, TVBS media personnel and several Taiwanese celebrities converged on a New Taipei shoreline on March 25 for an ambitious beach cleanup. The initiative, held on a breezy spring morning, represented the latest effort in the company's expanding sustainability program, which emphasizes community-based ecological action.
"We are very honored to cooperate with RE-THINK this time," said TVBS General Manager Sheena Liu (劉文硯), as volunteers prepared to comb the shoreline behind her. "In this activity, we expect that besides making this beach cleaner, we will pick up many marine treasures that can be reused, so that these floating wastes can have opportunities for rebirth."
By midday, volunteers had filled dozens of large waste bags with debris ranging from plastic bottles to fishing nets and microplastics. These materials would have otherwise degraded into the coastal ecosystem, threatening marine species and contaminating local waters. The event was organized in partnership with RE-THINK, a Taiwanese environmental organization that has gained recognition for its systematic approach to beach restoration efforts.
Standing amid volunteers sorting through collected debris, TVBS Sustainability Ambassador Kai Wen Chuang (莊開文) painted a stark picture of the future without intervention. "If we don't do anything, by 2050, do you know what? The weight of marine plastic waste in the ocean will exceed the weight of fish in the sea," she warned with emotion in his voice. "That number is unbelievable to me."
In an innovative approach to measuring environmental impact, TVBS deployed artificial intelligence technology and drones throughout the cleanup operation. The sophisticated AI system analyzed comparative imagery of the beach before and after the volunteer efforts, generating precise metrics that quantified the ecological improvement. This technological dimension provided volunteers with immediate feedback on their environmental contributions.
As the afternoon sun illuminated the transformed shoreline, popular Taiwanese entertainer Poyu Lin (林柏妤), who had spent hours collecting waste alongside other participants, gathered the tired but satisfied volunteers to reveal their impact. "We just used this AI tool to take another photo of today's freshly cleaned beach. Guess what our pollution index has changed to? It was 67.3 at the beginning... Congratulations, everyone, the pollution score is 8.7!" she announced to enthusiastic applause.
For TVBS, the beach restoration initiative transcends a one-day environmental gesture. The media organization has integrated ecological responsibility into its corporate identity, conducting quarterly volunteer environmental activities that engage employees across all levels. These consistent efforts reflect a sustained commitment to environmental stewardship that executives describe as fundamental to the company's relationship with the communities it serves.
After guiding volunteers through proper waste sorting techniques, RE-THINK Project Manager Jen Hui Wang (王人卉) addressed the group with an accessible environmental philosophy. "In fact, we don't need to be environmental extremists," she explained, gesturing toward the day's collection. "We just need to do what we can to protect the environment so that the burden on Earth can be reduced."
The day's participants represented a cross-section of Taiwanese media and entertainment, with TVBS news anchors working alongside production staff, administrative personnel, and recognizable entertainment figures. This deliberate integration of participants from various professional backgrounds reinforced the event's central message: environmental protection transcends professional boundaries and requires participation across all sectors of society.
The collaboration with RE-THINK builds upon the environmental organization's impressive track record, which included collecting more than 1,100 kilograms of coastal waste during the previous year's initiatives. For TVBS executives, this partnership represents a strategic alignment with proven environmental actors as the media company continues positioning sustainability as the centerpiece of its expanding corporate social responsibility framework. ★