How can university students “save the planet” on campus? On May 16 and 17, Chung Yuan Christian University hosted the Environmental Sustainability Market, where students from the Business Administration and Commercial Design departments showcased creative ideas under the theme “Accidentally Save the Planet.” The event emphasized how small everyday actions can make a big difference for the environment. Through engaging market activities, the event promoted the Ubag reusable bag circulation project and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), drawing significant attention from faculty, students, and the local community.
Organized by the university’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, the 2023 Sustainability Market was held for the first time in collaboration with the service-learning course “Business Social Responsibility and Service.” Nine students from the Business Administration and Commercial Design departments teamed up to promote the Ubag reusable bag initiative through a series of activities themed around “green, eco-friendly, and sustainable” concepts. The market featured a free reusable bag station. Supported by Youchun Cultural, a company dedicated to circular economy advocacy, the event also invited teams like TjG, which rents display racks made from marine waste-derived TjG–W eco-plastic wood, Lockists, which operates a smart scooter-sharing system, and addLEss, a circular fashion platform for secondhand clothing. This market marked the launch of Youchun Cultural’s “Circular Economy Education Truck” campus tour.
The main visual design of the event, created by Chiao-Hsin Chang from the Commercial Design department, cleverly reimagined three iconic works of art: The Gleaners, The Last Supper, and The Creation of Adam. For instance, The Gleaners represented picking up discarded bags, while The Creation of Adam depicted the passing and circulation of reusable bags. The design aimed to bridge the gap between environmental awareness and the public through engaging visuals. The team also created a giant gashapon machine to dispense reusable bags, adding an element of fun to the event. A basketball mini-game was included to introduce participants to the Ubag reusable bag initiative. Yi-Ting Chung, a Business Administration student, remarked, “University students often use plastic bags when shopping. We hope to encourage more campus and nearby businesses to adopt reusable bags. This market connected us with many partners working on sustainability and amplified the impact of what we’ve learned in our courses.”
The market featured nearly 40 booths. TjG showcased its TjG–W eco-plastic wood display racks, promoting their use to reduce exhibition waste and foster a green rental market. Lockists introduced its smart scooter-sharing system, enabling private scooter owners to participate in automated sharing, reducing idle scooters and preventing overproduction. addLEss, founded by Jin-Ru Huang, an alumna from Chung Yuan’s International Business department, presented its secondhand clothing resale platform. With a focus on circular fashion, the platform allows users to rediscover the value of their unused clothing. Special attention was given to children’s clothing, which is often discarded quickly, helping parents purchase quality secondhand items while contributing to environmental efforts.
Yi-Rong Lai, founder of Youchun Cultural, expressed, “By collaborating with Chung Yuan Christian University on this sustainability market, we hope to introduce real-world examples of shared rentals, green circular technologies, and circular design products to campuses. We aim to deepen understanding of the circular economy among students, faculty, and the community while inspiring students to pursue careers in environmental sustainability. Together, we can work toward the 2023 net-zero target.”
In addition to the market, the university’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center hosted an online showcase of projects from the 14 teams in this year’s fifth annual “Dream Makers: Student CEOs” program. The initiative allows students to experience micro-entrepreneurship, enhance practical skills, and further the university’s mission of fostering creativity and innovation while advancing goals in social inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and health sustainability.
