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Return to sender – more nuclear waste is on its way back to Japan
Feb 1st, 2010
Posts Tagged ‘Japan’
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[/caption]Source: BBC News
The UK is about to send it’s first shipment of nuclear waste back to where it first came from – Japan. This is not the first batch to reach Japanese shores. Since 1995, 12 shipments of nuclear waste originating in Japan have already been returned from facilities in France. The UK shipment is due to arrive in Japan before the end of March, where there are already local storage facilities in place. The UK plant, Sellafield, is not only fulfilling contractual obligations from the 1970’s, but is returning the nuclear waste in accordance with international policy. (more…)
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Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by johann.aberkaneI imagine there must be a lot of greenz readers who are avid bloggers themselves. Green blogs often influence each other and grow with each connection made. If you’re going to the effort of making a blog with green content, why not go all the way, and have green design and management? The Livedoor ‘Get Eco with Green Blog Design’ campaign offers the opportunity to contribute easily to global environmental activities while writing your blog. Let’s see how they do this.
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GLOBE BANKThere is a new social benefit website that is the subject of much praise from creators and designers. ‘Globe Bank’ began in July as part of the CSR program of Konica Minolta. A fusion of fun, art, and social contribution, the website is slowly gaining in popularity.
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Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by Captain GionaHave you heard of ‘on-demand buses?’
As the name implies, the buses run on demand, rather like a large taxi, but without the high price. Costing on par with regular public transport, the buses can be booked to pick you up where and when you want, and take you to your destination without making unnecessary calls at vacant bus stops. While this may seem like an ideal solution to transport problems in rural communities with declining populations, and also a good step for the environment, there are issues with delays, and high running costs that have yet to be overcome.
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Kiko is the Japanese word for “climate change” and Kiko Network is one of the Japanese NGOs that participated in Copenhagen to try to influence the negotiations. Based in Kyoto, they have a lot of members and activists who wanted the Kyoto Protocol to be succeeded by a binding protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That didn’t happen, as the United States, China and others failed to find common ground for a global agreement.
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Reproduced from the National Institute for Environmental Science Environmental GIS ‘Vehicle CO2 Emission Map’.Reducing CO2 emissions is one way we can help put a stop to global warming. Vehicle emissions account for around 15% of total emissions in Japan, and are one of the few areas that we can affect directly through our daily lives. The National Institute for Environmental Science has released statistics on vehicle CO2 emissions. Emissions are ‘visible’ through color-coding for each municipality. Let’s see how Japan looks from this perspective. (more…)
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Ah, a new wave is approaching. That’s what I realized when I picked up the inaugural issue of the new Agricultural Magazine ‘Agrizm’.
The inaugural edition of the ‘farm/communication magazine that brings agriculture closer’ hit the shelves in September. The phrase ‘Hey Japan, The Farming Boom is Here’ cries out from the cover. (more…)
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From ‘Daily Global Warming Newspaper’, showing where different companies lie in terms of greenhouse gas reduction goalsOn the 19th, e’s Inc, founded by environmental journalist Junko Edahiro released a report on 55 companies surveyed on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. According to the report, of the 55 companies surveyed, 52 or 95% had set quantitative goals. (more…)
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Photo by Millennium CityGlass walls, a large kitchen and dining room inside, and a ladder leading up to a small wooden house…
This is ‘Kurimoto Millennium City’, created by the NPO Millennium City on 1650 m2 of land in Katori, Chiba Prefecture. The facility is multi-layered, with tall deciduous trees, greenhouses, and huts making for energy efficient architecture. The large deciduous trees help control the temperature, blocking the hot sun in summer, and holding the sun’s warmth in winter. The glass greenhouse protects against rain and wind, while the huts provide privacy, and are easily heated thanks to their small size.
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Photo by MujiWhat do you use to wipe things up around the house?
A kitchen cloth from the supermarket?
A duster from your favorite interior goods store?
Or maybe an old towel you’ve cut up and recycled…Muji have come up with a new option: an environmentally friendly duster made from cotton lint.
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Do you ever wonder what forest your chop sticks, tables, and paper come from? Have you even ever thought about it? Did you know that Japan is a forest country. 67% of the land in Japan is woodlands.
Photo from watashinomori.jpThere is a site that asks you to take a look at those forests and feel close to them, so we can live with them and enjoy our lives doing so. The site is called “Watashi No Mori,” or “My Forest” in Japanese.
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Photo from Honda’s websiteRight now, gasoline prices are steady, but when thinking about the environment, it is obvious that we need to improve gas consumption as much as possible.
Every car company is putting out cars that boast of great gas mileage, but Honda is going at improving fuel consumption from another angle too with a new kind of car. -
EarthNews
No Nukes and No MOX Fuel. 11 Year Old Starts Petition Against Pluthermal Power.
Nov 30th, 2009
Part of the ‘children’s petition to stop pluthermal use’ stating the dangers of using the extremely toxic plutonium rich MOX fuel, and asking for a future where children and other living beings can live in peace.We caught wind of a child in Ehime conducting a petition against the local nuclear power station switching to plutonium-uranium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, known locally as ‘pluthermal’. The image above shows part of a handwritten petition penned by the eleven-year-old child. It is addressed to the chairperson of the Ehime Prefectural Assembly.
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CulturalCreative
Call to Action. “MAKE the RULE”Book calling for new RULES to reduce CO2.
Nov 25th, 2009
Not a day goes by that you don’t come across the words ‘global warming’ on TV or in the newspapers. However this hasn’t stopped greenhouse gasses increasing by 8.7% since 1990. How will continued global warming affect us, and what can we do to deal with these consequences? A new booklet has arrived to answer these questions.
As previously introduced by greenz, MAKE the RULE is a campaign calling for new ‘rules’ to set goals for the reduction of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses, and action to achieve these goals. The MAKE the RULE legal committee has now released a booklet full of useful information on global warming.
Photo by MAKE the RULEPeople are loosing their livelihood due to rising sea levels caused by the polar ice caps melting. Still others are suffering from heat stroke. Above all, developing nations are the first to feel the brunt of global warming. Japan is the fifth largest producer of greenhouse gasses, and under the Kyoto Protocol has a duty to cut emissions by 6% from 1990 levels.
Despite the measures in place, however, the reality is that greenhouse gas levels continue to rise. That is why a political initiative is needed to change society and the economy.
The booklet can be downloaded from the web. It’s like a resource manual that is loaded with useful information for anyone wanting to know more about global warming. The MAKE the RULE campaign also encourages the public to lobby the government. The next time you see this cute polar bear mark, be sure to check out what’s inside.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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SustainableCommunity
Local Street-side Mechanic Pioneers The Future of Transportation: Hydrogen Motorbikes
Nov 23rd, 2009
Recently, ‘eco-cars’ have become all the rage. But the reality is, most of them still run on gasoline. ‘Is there really no other fuel that doesn’t have such an impact on the environment?’ you ask. There is, and that fuel is hydrogen.
Hydrogen, atomic number 1, atomic symbol H. Crude oil, from which gasoline is made, also contains a lot of hydrogen. Even the universe itself in ¾ hydrogen!
And if you burn hydrogen, you end up with… water! So you can envisage an energy cycle that goes something like this: water – hydrogen – water.
Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by vitroidCorporations cannot afford to ignore such an amazing element. Toyota and Honda have already come up with ‘fuel cell vehicles’ that run off electricity made from hydrogen, and Mazda has announced two new hybrid vehicles that use existing engines to run off a combination of gasoline and hydrogen. These work on the same theory as regular gasoline engines, using the explosion from igniting hydrogen to power the engine.
Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by tsukubajinWhile hydrogen is very light, it must be highly compressed in order to be of practical use. Compressing hydrogen requires a lot of energy in itself, and storage tanks must be strong enough to withstand this huge pressure, so it can’t be carried around and used as easily as gasoline. Currently the tanks alone cost upwards of several million yen each.
So, the problem with hydrogen is storage. Even so, there is still an amazing way of using hydrogen to get around in Japan, and it has been developed not by a large corporation, but a local mechanic. That is the hydrogen motorbike.
These bikes are being developed at ‘Inoue Boring’, an engine maintenance garage in small industrial area in Kawagoe, Saitama.
I just bought a tank of hydrogen, and shoved it into the carburetor, and the engine ran
…explains the manager, Sotaro Inoue.
Inoue has long been infatuated with 2-stroke engines. However as they were being phased out due to the dirty exhaust they produce, he started looking for an alternative fuel source. Hydrogen, which when burnt produces water, was an obvious choice. Because 2-stroke engines burn oil with the fuel, if a plant-based oil is used, the environmental impact will be reduced even more, explains Inoue.
Inoue Boring is currently developing a hydrogen motorbike, 2-stroke, of course.
The immediate goal is to have the throttle control the engine speed accordingly. For this to work, the timing of the release of hydrogen, and the spark must be synchronized, something they are just succeeding in doing. This will enable smooth acceleration, and deceleration.When the greenz editors visited Inoue Boring, he gave us a short demonstration, which you can see in the clip below.
To enable easy removal, the bike is designed to accommodate an Iwatani hydrogen tank as is.
Inoue says entering the bike in a race is his long-term dream. The future of transportation is being developed right here on the street corner, with no support from large corporations, the government, or universities.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post -
GreenBusiness
The Beginners Guide to Renewable Hydrogen! 10 reasons How It Can Change The World (2)
Nov 18th, 2009
Continued from part 1
Now we know WHY renewable hydrogen (RH2) is necessary, let’s take a look at just HOW this amazing energy source can benefit our world.
Enter domestically produced, sustainable energy RH2!
In a nutshell, RH2 shows the way to a more positive society, where competition for energy disappears → wars disappear → poverty and refugees disappear → everyone becomes happy!
Let’s take a look at 10 reasons RH2 will change the world.*1 An RH2 society can produce it’s own sustainable energy locally
→ This is the fundamental strength of RH2*2 An RH2 society is local, not centralized
→ Energy will become de-centralized, just as the internet has allowed the decentralization and activation of grass roots media*3 An RH2 society brings politics closer
→ With vested interest in energy gone, politics will become more open*4 An RH2 society will need fewer thermal power and nuclear power stations
→ If enough energy can be produced, large scale power stations will become redundant*5 An RH2 society will have fewer wars
→ Petroleum and natural gas, two of the major causes of conflicts, will not longer need to be fought over*6 An RH2 society will have fewer refugees and less poverty
→ Fewer wars means fewer people displaced by wars*7 An RH2 society will have cleaner air
→ Hydrogen is a valuable energy source that can replace gasoline, and other polluting fossil fuels*8 An RH2 society can make every car in the world an eco-car
→ Even old cars can have their engines converted to run off hydrogen*9 An RH2 society will provide more green jobs
→ New businesses will create work to deal with environmental issues*10 An RH2 society will create a positive shift in awareness
→ With no need to worry about competing for limited resources, people will become more relaxed and content. This is the most important thing
The two-minute guide to RH2So, the introduction to RH2 has become a little long, but we have come up with a ‘Two minute guide to RH2’ to wrap things up. Please check it out.
(Support: Kaneko Store)Thanks for sticking with me so far!
Now, while RH2 sounds like a miracle, there are setbacks along with all the positive aspects. Cost and safety issues must still be overcome to make it viable. However the important thing is that this isn’t some fantastical image of the future – the technology is available to achieve this now.
As an NPO, researching case studies and collecting data, and bringing together professionals and researchers of hydrogen and other natural energies are two ways of promoting RH2. If you’re interested, we are looking for people to help spread the word about RH2! People are writing in with such messages as ‘wouldn’t it be a dream come true if amusement parks ran on RH2? It’s perfect for merry-go-rounds, and for teaching kids about energy too’.
We look forward to hearing from you, too, and cooperating to create an RH2 future together!
This article is translated from the original Japanese text
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GreenBusiness
The Beginners Guide to Renewable Hydrogen! 10 reasons How It Can Change The World (1)
Nov 16th, 2009
There are so many things that can change the world: ‘green jobs will change the world’, ‘change money and change the world’, ‘open source programs will change the world’… what else can you think of that can change the world?
At greenz, we believe that changing the paradigm in the energy industry could be the fundamental solution to many of the problems that the world face today. And so one energy source that has caught our attention is renewable hydrogen (aka. RH2). Several members of the greenz team have set up the NPO Renewable Hydrogen Network to promote RH2 through various projects.
Hydrogen itself has yet to become well know, and if you put an ‘R’ before it, even fewer people will know what you’re talking about. Read on to find out what RH2 is, and why it can change the world.
So, what is hydrogen, and how can it be renewable?
Hydrogen (atomic symbol: H) is the lightest, and most common element in the universe. Many things around us contain hydrogen, including water (H2O), propane (C3H8), and ammonia (NH3). In fact even the sun’s energy is made through the nuclear fusion of hydrogen and helium.
Hydrogen can store energy, and produce it. It’s becoming an ever more popular energy source, and can be used in place of gasoline to power cars. If there was enough hydrogen, we could even heat public baths with it!
Used as a fuel, it produces only energy and water, and a minute amount of nitrogen, making it an environmentally friendly source of energy. But it’s also important not to forget the renewable part too. RH2 must be produced by renewable means such as solar or geothermal, and not nuclear or fossil fuels.
The inconvenient truth about a fossil fuel society
Now for some trivia about fossil fuels. Did you know that natural gas is imported to Tokyo from the Arctic? According to an NHK documentary, a race has begun to exploit natural gas deposits newly accessible as the polar ice cap melts due to global warming. That natural gas is then brought to Yokohama, from where it is used to supply homes in Tokyo.
Second, do you know the real price of gasoline? According to one survey, around 150 trillion yen is spent on reducing the price of gasoline – in other words, to cover hidden costs. That means our tax money is being used to support a fossil fuel dependent society.
Energy is indispensable for life. However, the limited sources of energy, such as nuclear or fossil fuel, can be said to be one major cause of conflicts. If we continue to bring natural gas all the way from the Arctic, and support petroleum companies by subsidizing gasoline, we will keep using more and more energy, thereby increasing climate change on a global scale. Now is the time to move away from fossil fuels.
Continued in part 2: the 10 reasons why RH2 will change the world.
This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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SustainableCommunity
Green Drinks Tokyo Report. Agriculture 2.0: The Green Finger Revolution
Nov 13th, 2009
greenz.jp hosts the monthly gathering Green Drinks Tokyo.
The October edition was moved from the usual Gotanda to EAT TOKYO in Ebisu, and went off with a bang.
Despite the 18th typhoon of the season having just swept through Tokyo, the venue was filled to capacity, making for yet another enjoyable night.The theme for October was ‘Agriculture 2.0’
With the various guest speakers enthusing about the future of agriculture in Japan, their unique projects got the attention they deserve.#Guest speakers
Masaru Saito (PRECOOK, EAT TOKYO)Yusuke Tanaka (Farmer’s Market)
Kohei Ishida (Noryoku-mura) + Tom Kawada from AR3（AR3）
Yoshihisa Haruyama (Trace, Inc)
Haruyama, who uses IT to resolve social issues surrounding food and agriculture, introduced a new endeavor during the event.
The audience was all ears listening to the innovative idea to ‘increase vegetable consumption’.
Ishida introduces individual farmers through the website ‘Noryoku-mura’, and also leases rice paddies in 10mX10m units called ‘are’.
This new service should bridge the gap between producer and consumer, and has the backing of the AR3 Brothers.
Tanaka has been facilitating communication between the city and agriculture through Farmer’s Markets held regularly in Omotesando, Aoyama in the central city. The project started after ‘realizing the danger of city life where money can buy anything’. This steadily growing movement is one to watch in the future!
#Green Drinkers
Did you know that Green Drinks is held in over 400 cities across the globe?
greenz.jp is the official organizer for Green Drinks Tokyo.
This time we met a couple that had come all the way from San Francisco. They had been to Green Drinks in San Francisco, but said ‘Green Drinks Tokyo is more fun’! It seems as though they enjoyed the unique ‘Tokyo’ style, with a set theme and guest speakers.
‘It’s great to be able to learn something new’ she said merrily, as people gathered around her to talk. Here is their blog. Green Drinks is a connection to the world, with a surprising amount of participants speaking good English. What a great atmosphere. Let’s hope more international participants come in the future!#The Food
Green Drinks Tokyo chef Masaru Saito has a way with organic food, tantalizing taste buds and satisfying stomachs. One participant lamented that ‘the food smelled so good, I couldn’t concentrate on the talk’, and I must say, I have to agree. The theme for the food was ‘Autumn flavors 2.0’, in keeping with the theme Agriculture 2.0. Fresh food of the season crammed the tables.
Platter of chestnut, tomato, and fresh soybeans
Sanma in oil
Chili and tomato stew with chicken and vegetablesJust looking at the pictures makes your mouth water…
Check out the following slideshow for photos of the event.
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.The next Green Drinks Tokyo is scheduled for November 12.
Beautiful Canadian environmental activist Melanie Mullen will be present to speak on ‘Art & Redevelopment Downtown’.Don’t miss it!
This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by nakaya rieThe term ‘carbon offset’ has become familiar in recent years. Many of you may have already chosen one of the increasing number of services and products touting carbon offset. One method of carbon offsetting is emission trading. Businesses and the like can offset the CO2 that they produce by purchasing emission credit. However, until now, credit has almost only been available overseas.
From October 2008, the Environment Ministry has opened applications for domestic emission credit certification. While applications were for businesses that aimed to reduce carbon emissions, Kochi prefecture was the first to jump at the opportunity. So, what does Kochi have to offer in terms of carbon offsetting?
The business that Kochi proposed was using forest thinnings for fuel. Thinning is necessary in order to maintain a healthy forest, and increase absorption of CO2. By using the thinnings from these forests in place of fossil fuels, CO2 emissions can be reduced. Kochi started their own ‘local carbon trading model business’ in 2007 as a predecessor to the national scheme.
If this application is accepted, the credit will be bought by shopping center ‘Lumine’to offset CO2 emitted by workers while commuting to work. Considering the boost that domestic trading will give to local economies, if the application goes through, this will prove to be a big step forward for emission trading in Japan.
With the Kyoto Protocol goal emissions being measured from 2008, if a 6% reduction from 1990 levels is not realized by 2012, credit must be purchased from overseas. According to the latest figures from the Environment Ministry, this could amount to total cost of 700 billion yen. With emissions still increasing, this figure is set to rise even further.
Such a large sum of money going overseas is sure to be a big blow to the Japanese economy. With no time to loose, we must work to create a new market within Japan. Will Kochi be able to lead the way?
This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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The Rebirth ProjectYusuke Iseya, an actor know for his charm and uniqueness, has now begun something new called the Rebirth Project. The project is made up of famous artists and architects, but what exactly is it?
The web page for the site says the aim of the project is:
We believe our generation must go out and meet the turning points of our future. Society has sacrificed the natural environment for the technological development that has continued up until now. Our generation, of course, has grown up reaping the benefits of this. We made this project to stand face to face with the destruction of the environment and ask ourselves if there is not something we can do. We have gathered many people of various talents and we have made a place where we can express these concerns.
Iseya, who wanted to do something related to the environment with the collaboration of businesses, asked for the help of many designers and producers.
The project seemed a logical challenge for Iseya who graduated from the masters course of Tokyo Craft University’s art department.The first undertaking for the project was “The Spike Show.”
The Spike Show logoThe works and furniture are reborn from the scrap wood of demolished buildings. This is made possible with cooperation from the construction company the Kinoshita Group.
At first glance the project appears like it is just furniture, but the project is not just that:
The process of destruction and production are also a link in the performance. The process is the final work as well.
The project is about the experience as well as the art. Their website displays various photos of the process that would surprise anyone with their presence and force.
Photos of the Spike ShowIt is a little hard to describe, but the wild state of the production area and the focused expressions of the artists in the pictures really convey the passion of this project. The highlight of the project is when the artists bring their works back to the place where the building was demolished and bring the event to a close with photos. The completed works, of course, the environment made by the united artists, and the land all express the amazing “rebirth” that the project makes.
Finished works from the Spike ShowThe furniture born from this project will be later available for sale. This is the rebirth that these artists on the bleeding edge want to express. The message of their work is that if we can move the hearts of the new generation, that could become the power to change the world. This is the future that the Rebirth Project is seeking. We are all looking forward to what they do next.
This article has been translated from the original Japanese post
