Getting Pacific TaiwanPlus
-
- News
-
A deep dive into the details of trending topics, in society, science, and entertainment. Join Joey Chou and Trevor Tortomasi as they get specific with voices and views from Taiwan and around the world.
-
How much of our coral reefs can still be saved?
As global average temperatures rise, many coral reefs are experiencing a phenomenon called "bleaching", leaving behind brittle structures which often stand very little chance of recovery.
Coral reefs, sometimes called "the rainforests of the ocean", are highly sensitive underwater ecosystems. So how many of them can still be saved?
Trevor and Joey look into how corals grow, how we study them, and the symbiotic relationships living all over their reefs, with expert commentary from coral reef recovery researcher Aziz Mulla. -
22: Is the rise of Asia's standup comedy at odds with freedom of speech?
Comedians are often encouraged to "punch up", or criticize those in positions of power, rather than "punching down", or ridiculing those less fortunate. So in countries where criticizing the government is dangerous, how does standup comedy fare as a political voice?
Trevor and Joey look into the growth of standup comedy scenes around Asia, comedy's role as a cultural force, and how jokes translate across both linguistic and political lines. -
21: How do we define obesity, and what is it doing to us?
According to the World Health Organization, worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1990, while obesity in adolescents has quadrupled in the same amount of time. In Taiwan, more than half of adults and a third of schoolchildren are either overweight or obese, giving it one of the highest rates in Southeast Asia.
Joey and Trevor look into how these rates are calculated, which labels are unhelpful, and what we can do to lose weight on a larger scale.
www.cindyyangnutrition.com
www.instagram.com/coach.xiao.e
www.nesswellness.com -
20: How do our clothes affect the environment?
While you may be paying a low price for clothes produced as "fast fashion", the real price falls upon textile workers and our environment.
Joey and Trevor chat about the advantages of a circular textile economy, the waste produced by major international brands, and where old clothes should go when we're done with them.
In this episode, we spoke to representatives from two companies trying to make a difference in the field of sustainable fashion:
https://www.threadingchange.org/
https://viasweat.com/
-
19: How fast can a country learn English?
Taiwan's "Bilingual by 2030" policy, set in motion in 2017, aims to achieve a Taiwanese society fluent in both Chinese and English by the end of the decade. With this ambitious undertaking, the government hopes to more deeply connect Taiwan's workforce with the world, and to attract more international businesses to Taiwan.
Now that we're around seven years into this ambitious task, how is it going?
As mentioned in this episode, Taiwan's Ministry of Education has provided online resources for anyone interested in teaching English in Taiwan:
https://tfetp.epa.ntnu.edu.tw/en/tfetp/web/apply_now
And more English-learning resources can be found on the Hope English website:
https://www.hopenglish.com -
18: Cicada Season Begins: What can we do about the world's loudest insect?
Around the end of April and the beginning of May, parts of North America are set to see two different broods of cicadas wake up at once. It's a dual emergence between groups that meet only once every 221 years.
Trevor and Joey chat about the upcoming emergence event, why cicadas sleep for such exact amounts of time, and how the harmless insect has evolved to overcome even its toughest predators.