Taiwan lantern makers go green for festival of lights

As Taiwan lights up for the start of its annual lantern festival this weekend, one eco-friendly craftsman is breaking with tradition.

Lantern-maker Lin Chow-chin is part of a growing movement on the island to make the celebrations greener, creating sustainable lights which can be converted into everything from desk lamps to flower vases.

Each year huge electric sculptures go on display in Taiwan's major cities, children carry tiny disposable lanterns and the skies fill with floating lights for the festival that marks the end of two weeks of Lunar New Year festivities. Environmentalists say used lanterns are not properly recycled and pile up as rubbish, while batteries inside them contain hazardous chemicals that cause pollution.

Lin hopes to help combat the problem by creating lanterns which owners will want to keep rather than discard.

He experimented with making them in his youth and even considered exporting them as a business -- but gave up the dream for a steady post office job. After retiring seven years ago, Lin reignited his passion -- with a new twist.

"I don't want to see lantern-making become a fading art so hopefully the creative, environmental and practical aspects can appeal to more young people," he tells AFP.

Lin's colorful lanterns come in a range of shapes and sizes, some using recycled paper, leaves and plant fibers. His main aim is to make them reusable.

Lin has patented a removable plastic stopper that connects to a light bulb inside the lantern.

When the bulb is taken out, users can connect the stopper to a water bottle and recycle the lantern as a vase.

Some of the lantern frames are made from self-assembled cardboard cut-outs which Lin says are popular with...