Hao-Han "Hank" Wu
2026 Eco-Hero
2nd PLACE
Hao-Han "Hank" Wu
Age 13
Yilan County, Taiwan
No Butts Alliance: AI Data Mapping, Policy Advocacy, and Children’s Climate Forums
At just 13 years old, Hao-Han "Hank" Wu has emerged as a pioneering force in environmental engineering and civic technology, proving that youth voices are vital to national policymaking. Recognizing cigarette butts as one of the world’s most pervasive yet overlooked sources of plastic pollution, Hank refused to stay silent. In August 2023, he started a group called "No Butts Squad 4.0" with five friends. By 2024, as the project grew to include teams in Sanzhong (Taiwan) and Canada, the group officially became the "No Butts Alliance." Today, as a National Youth Representative for Taiwan's Ministry of Education, Hank leads an international movement that transforms environmental data into meaningful policy action.
Under Hank's leadership, the alliance combats microplastic pollution through technology-driven activism and youth innovation. He orchestrated the design of the "Butt Hunter" app, a gamified citizen-science platform that maps plastic pollution hotspots. Using this data to optimize efficiency, Hank and his team have conducted over 94 street cleanups, removing more than 30,000 toxic butts before they could reach the ocean. An accomplished young inventor, Hank also designed the "Smart Drain Interceptor," a sensor-equipped gutter net that captures litter before it enters waterways, and the "Rapid Butt Picker" walking stick, shown at the International Exhibition for Young Inventors (IEYI). He is currently upgrading his platform into "Butt Hunter 2.0" by integrating AI image recognition, GIS mapping, and an open API to help municipalities track pollution trends more effectively.
Hank's advocacy bridges grassroots action and public policy. He stood alongside Taiwan's Vice President at the launch of the National Ocean Policy White Paper and has directly engaged legislators to advocate for stronger plastic reduction measures. In 2025 and 2026, he organized the 1st and 2nd Children's Action Forums, creating unprecedented platforms for youth participation in environmental decision-making. When a venue manager unexpectedly canceled the 2026 forum just two weeks before the event – claiming cigarette pollution was too negative a topic for a youth-led initiative – Hank calmly reorganized his team, secured a larger venue, and successfully welcomed 300 participants, including Taiwan’s Environment Minister and a member of parliament. Deeply moved by the students' professionalism, the Minister committed to holding an official Children's Climate Action Forum at the Presidential Office.
An elite martial artist and Scout leader, Hank credits his resilience under pressure to years of disciplined karate training. A multiple-time gold medalist, he has learned to transform setbacks into opportunities. His composure was especially evident during a high-stakes international educational panel when a teammate's microphone failed mid-presentation. Without hesitation, Hank stepped in, delivered his partner's slides from memory, and confidently answered the judges' cross-cultural questions.
Beyond his technical achievements, Hank is widely recognized for his empathy, mentorship, and inclusive leadership. He actively supports younger students in launching environmental teams and intentionally creates opportunities for non-fluent peers to participate during international summits. His global perspectives were further expanded after being selected for a highly competitive Public Television Service (PTS) scientific expedition to the Arctic. During three weeks alongside polar researchers, he studied microplastics in ice cores and witnessed firsthand how local litter can travel through global ocean systems to reach even the most remote regions of the planet.
Now operating on an international stage, Hank has established alliance chapters in Canada and Japan, and collaborated with the Dutch NGO No Plastic Filter to address plastic cigarette-filter pollution worldwide. As one of only thirty recipients of the prestigious Taishin Outstanding Volunteer Award and a 2026 HundrED Youth Ambassador, he regularly advocates for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Looking ahead, Hank plans to study environmental policy and sustainable governance abroad before returning home to help safeguard Taiwan's coastlines for future generations.
"When adults publicly dismissed us and said it looks fake when kids care about the environment, we didn't back down. We turned their skepticism into our fuel. Environmental rules are routinely written by adults who forget what children actually need to inherit. True justice means kids have a right to sit at the table and plan their own futures. Large global problems can feel paralyzing, but nature has no borders. If you persist and keep showing up, a local initiative can rally the world."
