During the summer of 2025, three interns from different backgrounds stepped into Greenpeace East Asia Taipei and immersed themselves in campaigns on climate, plastic production reduction, and ocean protection. While assisting with campaigns and research, they experienced firsthand the experience as well as the behind-the-scenes challenges and emotions.
Below are the first-hand reflections from Jean, Bing-hua, and Ration, which show us how the younger generation is protecting the environment through action, and the movement is growing stronger along the way.
Jean: Small Moments Connected into a Journey of Learning and Growth
Hey I’m Jean, an intern with the Community Outreach Team, currently a third-year student in the Department of Agricultural Economics. When I was looking for a summer internship, I came across Greenpeace’s recruitment information and felt it aligned closely with my field of study. I decided to apply—and was fortunate to begin this meaningful internship journey.
My first task during my two-month internship was assisting with volunteer recruitment and event planning for the Taichung ocean-themed booth workshops. At the beginning, recruitment numbers were slow due to strict requirements. However, by continuously refining the information, expanding outreach channels, and increasing exposure on Instagram, we eventually reached our recruitment goals. The two-day event ran smoothly under clear skies, and seeing the volunteers participate enthusiastically and joyfully gave me a strong sense of accomplishment.
I also helped expand volunteer recruitment by designing posters and contacting schools, hoping to attract more young people to join. At the same time, I participated in ocean campaign research by organizing photos collected by volunteers and assisting with fish species identification. Although distinguishing fish species was very challenging at first, with guidance from researchers and teammates, I gradually learned the techniques—so much so that I can now even recognize the fish in my refrigerator at home! These experiences allowed me to witness the passion and persistence of our volunteers and strengthened my determination to continue pursuing a path in sustainability.
Bing-hua: Planning and Implementing an Assessment of Heat Risk Exposure in Parks for Children
Hey there! I’m Wang Bing-hua. I recently graduated from the Department of Sociology and the Department of History at National Chengchi University and will soon be entering graduate school. Although my past environmental experience consisted mainly of occasional beach cleanups and petition signing, I was delighted to intern at Greenpeace and experience its culture of valuing not only academic backgrounds, but also interns’ passion and ideas.
During the two months, I assisted climate campaign researchers in organizing materials for the “Citizen Scientist Heat and High-Temperature Parent-Child Workshop,” transforming research data into usable content for activities. On site, I played a support and facilitation role—assigning volunteer tasks, adjusting activity flows, and guiding children as they learned about climate issues. Watching them exclaim in surprise upon discovering that “sandpits are hotter than grass,” and hearing their imaginative questions, helped me realize that climate issues are not abstract numbers, but a tangible part of everyday life.
(Related Reading: [Intern Sharing] From Sandpits to Drawing Paper: Climate and the Future Through Children’s Eyes)
I also handled online collaboration outreach and communication with key influencers, learning how to convey professionalism and sincerity within a limited space. Looking back on this internship, what I gained was not only research and data skills, but also the ability to find the right language and format to communicate messages to different audiences. At Greenpeace, interns’ voices are heard and their strengths recognized. This experience reassured me that as long as one is willing to learn, there is a place for everyone in advancing environmental issues.
Ration: A Small Intern with Big Insights—My Two Months at Greenpeace
Hey everyone! I’m Ration, a 2025 summer intern mainly assisting with research for plastic production reduction and ocean campaigns. My interest in environmental protection began during my year as an exchange student, when I accidentally enrolled in a course on the circular economy. That experience sparked my passion for sustainable development and led me to think about how to turn knowledge into action.
During my two months at Greenpeace, I first participated in an air microplastics study under the plastic production reduction campaign. From selecting sampling locations and contacting management units, to conducting site surveys and adjusting equipment, every step was both challenging and deeply educational. This experience helped me understand that scientific research requires not only expertise, but also strong communication and coordination skills—and allowed me to personally experience the sense of achievement that comes from applying science in the real world.
I also took part in a fish survey campaign, identifying fish species from volunteer photographs and conducting on-site body length measurements at the Kezailiao Harbor fish market in Kaohsiung. Through this process, I gained a deeper understanding of the ecological impacts of overfishing. These experiences strengthened my professional skills and helped me grasp the core value of NGOs: research data must be transformed into action and advocacy to truly drive social change. This internship was not just a summer experience, but an important step in my career exploration, reinforcing my commitment to continue down the path of sustainable development.
Join Us in Action and Become Part of the Change
At Greenpeace, volunteers come from different ages, backgrounds, and areas of expertise, yet they are united by the same belief: protecting the planet and driving change. Whether assisting with events, participating in research, or promoting environmental campaigns, every helping hand and every effort brings the world closer to sustainability.
If you also want to protect the environment, reduce plastic waste, or simply support the planet through action, we sincerely invite you to join Greenpeace East Asia’s volunteer community. Work alongside passionate partners to help more people see the connection between the environment and everyday life. With your participation, change can happen. Let’s take action together—starting now.
[Environmental protection starts with daily life.
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