However, over time, it started to transform into a culture of people writing their wishes to the gods on the lanterns before sending them up into the sky. This is the tradition that many people, especially tourists, continue today.
Although it is a beautiful tradition for people here, recently many groups have brought attention to the negative environmental impact. Unfortunately, there are many instances where the lanterns eventually fall back to the ground, getting stuck in trees, releasing toxins or even starting fires. Likewise, there is a lot of trash left from visitors and the lanterns themselves. New Taipei's government, which oversees the festivities, reported on the news that this year, they had already collected more than 160 kg (350 lbs) and about 21 bags of garbage over the first two weeks of the festival.
However, I recently read in the news that the government is trying to encourage people to use more biodegradable materials such as rice paper and bamboo frames for the lanterns. Similarly, following the celebration, there are many groups of volunteers, even including school children, that search the countryside to gather the debris and take it to be disposed of safely. Additionally, the government tries to incentivize people to clean up by allowing elderly residents to collect the undamaged frames, each of which can be resold to the government-run recycling center for NT$8. These types of strategies encourage locals to care about their environment while enjoying their longstanding traditions.
