Taiwan City’s Cash-for-Crappers Program
Pick it up, weigh it, and bring it in—how hard can that be? Well, when the “it” is dog poop, that process may not sound too appealing. But the city of Taichung is willing to make it worth your while.
To help clean up this city of a million people, Taichung’s Environmental Protection Bureau has decided to offer a bounty for a substance that was never considered very precious before. Now, anyone game enough to go around gathering dog droppings can earn themselves a cool NT$100 a day.
FYI, NT$100 is only about 3 bucks, and it’s not in cash but in a coupon redeemable at a local chain store. So you may want to go printing up that “Official Canine Caca Collector” T-shirt just yet.
The Taiwanese didn’t become big dog fanciers until the 1980s, when the economy of this Asian Tiger began to boom. Disposable income and leisure time increased, and one result was a surge of interest in pet ownership.
But like many other dog-loving countries, Taiwan now has its troublesome share of strays, which number as many as 180,000. The problem has been made worse by the abandonment of many pet dogs, whose owners find them too pricey to keep in these less prosperous times. The total effect can be a smelly mess.
Along with its dog-waste plan, Taichung is offering a similar bounty on the innumerable plastic drinking cups that litter the city. You have to wonder: Is there a bonus for bringing in your doggie-doo in discarded plastic cups? Someone ought to inquire.
By DanBing on 15-10-2009
Comment by PAMELA
October 15th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I think this is a wonderful idea.I am lucky where I live.There aren't any dogs running loose.But having owned one,they can put out a lot of poop in a week. I will trade my cats poop for dollars any day!!! They put out more then the average dog can given the same amount of time.
Comment by The Guitar God
October 15th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Last time I was in Taiwan, it was a country, not a city.
Comment by Koru
October 16th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Ha, he probably means Taichung.
Comment by Adam
October 16th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Taiwan City? Really, dude? Please do a little research before posting an article. I'm a high-school dropout and I even knew Taiwan (ROC) is it's own country (or a "province" depending on your political view).
Comment by stormsea7
October 16th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Maybe the writer was referring to Taiwan capital city: Taipei
Comment by John Lee Smith
October 16th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
This is a crappy idea. HAHAHAHA…
But seriously, this gives the homeless an opportunity to contribute to society! (apart from being comic relief from the crushing vacuousness that is your life)
Comment by Freebie Link
October 16th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
LMAO I know, Taiwan is a Country.
Comment by DanBing
October 17th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Dear Readers,
"Taiwan City" is standard journalistic shorthand for "city in Taiwan." It's the same as saying "Taiwanese City," but it saves a few characters, which is always a priority when composing a headline. If what I had in mind was a place called "Taiwan City," then the phrase "the city of Taichung" would not have appeared in the very first paragraph.