Dog Poo Into Gold: Taiwan’s Midas Touch?
In a bizarre attempt to clean up the dog poo from the streets of New Taipei City in northern Taiwan, officials are offering residents the opportunity to exchange bags of dog deposits for a chance to win gold bars.
The odd campaign began on August 1 and requires residents to hand in their doggie waste to specifically assigned government cleaning teams in exchange for tickets to a draw for the gold bars. The prizes include: three gold ingots worth T$60,000 (US$2,100), and T$18,000 (US$$624) and T$12,000 (US$416).
According to a statement made the city government, there is no set amount of raffle tickets and the winners will be named in October.
“We are hoping the draw will attract a wide participation, especially as the gold price is rising… We believe this innovative measure will raise people’s awareness of the problem… Through the raffle, we expect the public to pay closer attention to environmental sanitation and play a more active role in keeping their surroundings clean,” said Chen Chao-ming, a New Taipei City Environmental Protection Department official.
Free garbage bags will be dispensed in campaign efforts to clean up the city. Officials are going even one step further with their own “poo patrols” and rewarding residents who photograph dog owners leaving dog poo on the streets.
Officials in New Taipei City got the idea from a similar failed 2009 campaign that occurred in the central city of Taichung. Officials there offered residents T$100 shopping vouchers in exchange for each kg of excrement collected, but their offers were met with ridicule and criticism.
Cleaning up after one’s pet is an extension of personal hygiene and is only different from cleaning up after oneself in the sense that it is left for others to see.
Perhaps it’s time for dogs to walk their owners, as like the old saying goes, every dog smells his or her own.
Check out this quick video below, which explains the new clean up plan.
(Link)
By MDeeDubroff on 14-08-2011
