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(This article is republished from News & Market)
In southern Taiwan’s environmental community, one warrior risks his life to expose environmental pollution crimes. To his colleagues, he is fearless and unwavering in his mission. One moment, he’s investigating illegal waste dumping in farmland and fish ponds; the next, he’s teaching a community university class on making homemade solar panels. Whether climbing mountains to document the ecology of Longci Badlands or leading beach cleanups, no challenge seems too great for him.
This extremely low-key and cool-spoken environmentalist is Chao Ruei-Kuang, a member of the Environment Group of Tainan Community University Research & Development Association. He enjoys hiking and immersing himself in nature, and his passion for sharing its beauty makes him an environmental worker. Surprisingly, beneath his serious exterior, he has a hidden talent as a theater lighting technician and still enjoys art and painting. With his unique blend of toughness and sensitivity, this talented environmental warrior is someone worth getting to know.
Beneath his stern exterior lies Chao Ruei-Kuang's passionate heart. (Photo Credit: Lin Chi-Young, News & Market)
The wild child who became a theater lighting technician, this environmental warrior has carried an artistic dream since his youth
Chao grew up in a military dependents’ village in Pingtung. As a child, he was wild and adventurous, spending his days playing in rivers, catching fish, and making cooking pits to bake sweet potatoes. In second grade, his family moved to downtown Tainan, where his restless energy shifted toward drawing. In high school, he joined the auto repair department, which satisfied his childhood love for hands-on DIY projects. Today, his workshop is filled with recycled materials, where he repairs discarded appliances and even installs solar panels on his roof for personal power generation, all with his own hands.
When he entered junior college, finally he fulfilled his dream of studying fine arts. Along with pursuing his passion for drawing, he found immense joy in hiking with his friends from school. He explored mountains from the Southern Cross-Island Highway and river tracing to Taiwan’s tallest peaks, trekking across the island’s major ranges. During this time, the Southern Cross-Island Highway was almost like a secret backyard to him, and he often hiked alone. He enjoyed watching dazzling sunsets on high peaks and experiencing the vitality of rivers while river tracing, and absorbing the land’s energy through the seasonal changes in plants.
After graduation, he became involved in the mini-theater movement and joined the inaugural Lantern Arts Festival (1995), founded by Father Rev. Don Glover. He took on the role of lighting designer and immersed himself in theater work. Reflecting on his years in the theater, Father Glover frequently led discussions on topics that resonated with them, prompting Chao to spend considerable time contemplating his personal value, his relationship with his family, and his connection to the environment.
In 1999, amid the surge of the community university movement, Chao was invited by the founding principal, Prof. Lin Chao-chen, to join the Tainan Community university team. He was tasked with leading environmental courses and planned to take students to explore Tainan’s rivers. However, he was shocked to discover that the rivers were unnaturally colorful and the beaches were littered with drifting trash. The stark contrast between the polluted reality and his memories was overwhelming—pollution was right in front of him, real and shocking.
The Community University launched a river patrol volunteer program, using the courses to engage the public in monitoring water systems connected to the Chianan Irrigation Channel. (Photo credit: Chao Ruei-Kuang )
Environmental action creates a real impact, more thrilling and transformative than theater
At that time, Huang Huan-Chang, the convener of the Environment Group at the Community University, was also an environmental activist. He and Chao quickly connected, setting a model for on-site investigations and actions for the Tainan Community University Environment Group. Together, they led faculty and students in patrolling Erren River, where they found factories illegally discharging pollutants into the river. Despite public reports, these complaints were ineffective because the factories always seemed to know when the inspectors would come, making it difficult for them to trace the source of the pollution.
Now is when his hands-on approach proved useful. They started with basic sampling, using simple water quality test strips provided by the Environmental Protection Administration to monitor water pollution with minimal equipment. He also encountered government indifference for the first time. Construction units, driven by cost-cutting measures, disregarded ecological concerns and destroyed migratory bird habitats. During an engineering meeting, where he attended as a representative of the environmental group, he was physically attacked by a legislator. Additionally, during an investigation into pollution from a leather factory in Yunlin County, he and Huang Huan-Chang were surrounded by factory owners and narrowly avoided a physical confrontation.
For 20 years, Chao Ruei-Kuang has led the Environment Group in exposing countless cases of land pollution. (Photo credit: Chao Ruei-Kuang)
A true hero in the fight against land pollution, he called for the establishment of Tainan Environmental Alliance to tackle environmental issues
Although residents repeatedly reported pollution and illegal discharges in Erren River, the offenders always seemed to know in advance when inspections would occur and managed to evade them. Chao took bold action by secretly positioning himself at the factory discharge points and collecting evidence from 30 locations along Erren River. His efforts compelled the Tainan Environmental Protection Bureau to take action against these factories.
Through evidence collection and sampling, the prosecution authorities, in collaboration with the Community University, also launched river pollution inspection initiatives.
The Environment Group’s actions drew significant attention from the prosecution. In 2011, Tainan launched its Tainan Environmental Alliance, with the Tainan Community University Environment Group working alongside the Tainan District Prosecutors Office and the Police Department to create a communication platform aimed at jointly addressing environmental pollution in Tainan. This platform has now been active for 13 years.
Chao mentioned that the Environment Group once led a group of newly appointed prosecutors from the Tainan District Prosecutors Office along the banks of Erren River to inspect waste-related issues. The young prosecutors, witnessing the ashes of circuit boards burned the previous night and experiencing the site's pungent odors and stark visuals firsthand, were deeply shocked.
In the past, local Environmental Protection Bureau frequently neglected pollution control to avoid offending businesses and local legislator. However, this experience reaffirmed his belief that citizen action can effectively mobilize government systems to take a more active role in addressing environmental crimes.
Chao Ruei-Kuang and Community University students patrol the Chianan Irrigation Channel. (Photo credit: Chao Ruei-kuang)
By directly confronting polluters and challenging government inertia, he is regarded by younger generations as a pioneering advocate
Chen Tai-hao, also a member of the Environment Group, describes Chao as a bold, meticulous, and forward-thinking partner and mentor. He recalls an incident when they were using a drone to capture evidence of illegal farmland backfilling. Unexpectedly, the business spotted the drone and sent employees on motorcycles to pursue them. To avoid confrontation, they had to quickly take evasive action and hide, leaving Chen breaking out in a cold sweat.
On another occasion, after inspecting an illegal backfilling site, Chen Tai-hao received a court summons weeks later. The company had filed a counterclaim, accusing him of trespassing based on the evidence they had gathered. With the help of knowledgeable prosecutors, he eventually cleared his name. What left a lasting impression on him was how Chao, usually reserved, would immediately present concrete evidence to refute official "false statements," leaving the authorities speechless.
Chao leads by example, demonstrating to younger members of the Environment Group that being an activist requires not only courage but also clear, calm thinking and eloquence. Through his experiences working alongside Chao, Chen Tai-hao, who initially focused solely on observing insect ecology, came to realize that environmental protection is not an abstract concept but a tangible process. These experiences taught him that the beauty of nature is not meant to be passively admired; it requires active efforts to protect the land.
Guide the public into the Longci Badlands, showcasing the brighter side of human nature amidst the beauty of the wilderness
Since 2016, the Environment Group has regularly taken students and the public to Longci to learn about its geological history and the ecology of the Badlands. This land, which has served as an industrial waste landfill for businesses, has been in struggle for ten years. Now, through grassroots advocacy, it is being transformed into a geological park owned by the citizens of Tainan.
Some people remain unaware of the beauty of our environment. Chao uncovered the valuable ecological wealth of the Longci Badlands, once deemed "useless land," through personal investigation. This vast landscape has become a habitat for many rare species, including pangolins, crab-eating mongooses, Chinese ferret-badgers, and sika deer. It is also home to protected raptors such as the grass owl, the crested serpent eagle, and the osprey, making it one of the last ecological refuges in Taiwan's hilly areas. This discovery amazed and delighted Chao.
Chao noted that Tainan Community University regularly organizes tours of the Longci Badlands, combining educational courses with civic action to encourage public participation in environmental protection. The more people care about the Longci Badlands, the less likely it is to be destroyed or developed.
The growing public concern for the land and environment gives him a deep sense of accomplishment. Although the process takes time, the connection people feel with the wilderness is enough to sustain his passion and enthusiasm.
Chao Ruei-Kuang and his partner, Huang Huan-Chang, lead citizen scientists on an expedition through the Badlands. (Photo Credit: Tainan Community University)
Hsieh He-lin: Actively collecting numerous cases is a vital asset to the environmental movement
The Taiwan Watch Institute is an environmental group that has long focused on pollution control policies. Regarding heavy metal contamination of farmland, it has collaborated extensively with Chao 's Environment Group. Secretary-General Hsieh He-lin views Chao as a passionate activist who has accumulated a wealth of case data and information, which is invaluable for understanding illegal dumping issues on Taiwan's farmland. His work has highlighted the negligence and inaction of local governments, prompting law enforcement agencies to be more vigilant and causing polluting businesses to retreat.
Hsieh cites an example of how Chao and the Environment Group’s ongoing investigations have uncovered unscrupulous operators who, under the guise of reuse or temporary storage, have turned sites in Pingtung's fish ponds, Kaohsiung’s Cishan District, and Tainan’s Houbi District and Syuejia District into dumping grounds for industrial waste and slag. This prompted the Council of Agriculture to revise Article 2-1 of the Enforcement Rules for the Agricultural Development Act, specifying that for agricultural land requiring filling for farming purposes, the fill material must consist of suitable soil for cultivating crops. Furthermore, the dumping of construction leftover soil and waste in farmland and fish ponds is prohibited.
Hsieh pointed out that Chao excels at using drones, imagery, and the power of social media to continuously expose regulatory and management loopholes. Without this evidence, it would be challenging to address the underlying issues. It requires courage, intelligence, and passion to venture into the field and gather evidence. Chao is precisely the kind of person who has these qualities.
Chao Ruei-Kuang leads the Environment Group in exposing uncomfortable truths that the government would prefer to ignore, revealing that many farmlands and fish ponds have become dumping grounds (Photo Credit: The Environment Group of Tainan Community University).
Having traversed mountains and rivers, inspired by the land, and committed to environmental protection
After facing numerous threats and conflicts for over 20 years, what keeps Chao going? He acknowledges that no one wants to spend all their time at pollution sites or surrounded by trash, so whenever he gets the chance, he helps out at the theater. However, his connection to nature continues to inspire him. For Chao, environmental protection is about sharing the beauty of the land, and this beauty fuels his determination to keep moving forward.
He often lectures at schools and conducts environmental education courses, frequently asking himself, "If the environment continues to deteriorate, what will be left for the next generation?" This sense of responsibility motivates him to continue his work. Reflecting on his youth, he recalls being inspired by the grandeur of mountains, rivers, and vast wilderness. After turning 30, he dedicated himself to giving back to the land by promoting the beauty of nature and the importance of its protection.
Under the glow of the setting sun, the beaches of Tainan shine brightly. With his cool-looking sunglasses, Chao passionately states, 'If we do not protect the beauty of this land, we do not deserve to have it.' Beneath his stern exterior lies a deeply passionate heart.
Chao Ruei-Kuang jokingly refers to his 'battle tank,' which has accompanied him on adventures for 20 years, as being just as experienced as he is. The deep bond he shares with it makes him reluctant to replace it. (Photo Credit: Lin Chi-Young, News & Market)