CulturalCreative
greenz.jp in Tokyo Metropolis: “Less Is More”
Mar 12th, 2010
Posts Tagged ‘sustainable living’
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We all know the importance and value of the internet in disseminating messages. And if those messages are practical, entertaining and economical, they should be shared to a broader audience.
And that is exactly what we at greenz.jp is trying to achieve. How can we share our unique Japanese ways of thinking, knowledge and practices to accelerate the adoption of sustainability ? Probably, the most simple way is to collaborate with like minded media and share content.
So we’ve teamed up with Tokyo Metropolis, the No.1 English magazine in Tokyo, Japan with distribution of 30,000 copies. The magazine is read by over 70,000 readers from 1000 distribution points throughout Tokyo, Yokohama and Chiba.
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With land in short supply, Japanese families face a paradox. Despite spending a large chunk of money on an expensive plot of land, once you’ve built a house and (if you’re lucky) a place to park a car, there is little space (or sunlight for that matter) left for a garden. Roof gardens can replace land built over for housing. These elevated landscapes are not only highly sustainable, they can improve the quality of life in Japan’s dense neighborhoods. (more…)
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Dive into Art ~ Cancun’s underwater sculptures are made from special materials that promote growth of new coralWant to learn how to build a house out of six million empty beer bottles or use local materials to simply keep food fresh up to 10 times longer? Then check out eco-ideas.net, a global environmental communication portal supported by Panasonic as part of its commitment to promote the power of ideas and to accelerate the shift to greener lifestyles.
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GreenBusiness
Tokyo Vegetable Adventures: A Visit to the Farmers Market at UN University
Feb 12th, 2010
All you locavores out there may remember last year we visited the colorful and delicious local farmers market in Yoyogi. Well, recently we discovered the white awnings of the farmer’s market at the United Nations University in Tokyo, another treasure trove of local seasonal food. Over forty stalls offered vegetables, fruits, rice, breads and pastries, flowers, and some of the prettiest rock salt I’ve ever seen from varied parts of Japan. Part of a burgeoning farmers market movement known locally as Marche Japon to connect people with their food and its producers, this market between trendy Harajuku and super-bustling Shibuya, bristled with energy and enthusiasm.
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The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has released an interesting and very informative look at some of the problems surrounding food and being an island that relies on 60% of food from abroad. Who would have thought that 80% of the ingredients in something as Japanese as Tempura Soba are not from Japan? (more…)
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As a recent vacation approached we found ourselves at a loss for what to do. Too short for a meaningful trip home but too long for milling about Tokyo, we searched for ideas. Even though we’ve been here almost a year, there is still so much of Japan that we want to explore and experience. How to choose? Finally, we found an answer – WWOOF!
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The world’s largest eco-products event, the Eco-Products Exhibition is in its eleventh year at Tokyo Big Sight and features a wide variety of organizations that in some form or fashion are doing environmental work. The most disappointing thing for me about the 2009 Eco-Product Exhibition is that I was only able to attend for one day. As one of the 180,000 guests for this year trying to see more than 700 booths was, to say the least, a bit tricky. But the time was well worth it, and my calendar for next year is already marked!
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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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GreenBusiness
Japanese Parking Company Launches Car Sharing Service in Downtown Tokyo
Nov 27th, 2009
Park 24 Co., a major parking service company in Japan, launched a car sharing business in downtown Tokyo in cooperation with its subsidiary, Mazda Car Rental Corp. The group’s two new stations in Yurakucho and Ikebukuro began operations on May 29, 2009. A car sharing shop, “Car Share 24,” and a new Mazda Car Rental shop both operate at each station.
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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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Photo by carecoI know about rising gasoline prices and reducing CO2, but I still need a car…
If you find yourself stuck in this environmental dilemma, we have good news for you!
A new car sharing service has begun from January ’09 allowing ‘everyone to use a car without anyone owning it’.
‘Careco Car Sharing’ is a new service offered by Car Sharing Japan Co, and founded by Mitsui & Co Ltd. to provide an economic, environmentally sound alternative to owning your own car.
Put simply, car sharing is like a 24 hour member only rent-a-car service, where one car is shared by several members. While rent-a-cars are available to the general public, car sharing is only available to pre-registered members.
The cars are used only when needed, and gasoline, insurance, and maintenance are all covered, making this service perfect for those who only need to use a car for a few minutes each day, or who don’t have parking space.
In Europe and the US, car sharing is already an established mobility service. The idea originated in Switzerland in the ‘70s when a huge influx of vehicles into the city brought about widespread vehicle restrictions. Residents who could no longer have their own car in the city grouped together to share cars in the suburbs, giving birth to the idea of car sharing.
With new car sales dropping, and more emphasis on environmental protection, vehicle needs in Japan are also beginning to shift from ‘ownership’ to ‘use’.
This service has already begun in Ebisu, Daikanyama, and Meguro in Tokyo, and is set to expand to other areas. With electric vehicles and charging stations gaining popularity, and natural energy such as solar and wind power on the rise, car sharing services such as this are a perfect complement to this new eco lifestyle!This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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GreenBusiness
Looking For Sustainable Living? Green Cooperative Housing In Tokyo seek tenants
Oct 7th, 2009
© Natural HouseYou may have read about ‘Natural Houses’ in a previous greenz article. If you liked the sound of them, but weren’t quite ready to buy your own, your luck may be on the rise! Natural House are seeking tenants for their new, affordable cooperative houses.
The latest project is the ‘Koishikawa Eco Village’ in Bunkyo ward, Tokyo. This dream eco housing complex will soon be appearing in a quiet central neighborhood in 3 Chome, Koishikawa.
Elevation view sketch of the Koishikawa Eco Village © Natural HouseHere I’ll introduce three of the many attractions Koishikawa Eco Village has to offer.
#1 Natural Housing for health and the environmentFrom originally developed safe wallpaper to domestic wood floors, everywhere you look, and also most places you don’t look, you can find evidence of their commitment to using natural materials that are safe for the body and the environment. With ‘Natural House’ a specialist in this field, quality is assured.
#2 100-year leaseThe long-term lease goes hand in hand with the durable building materials, including external insulation and reinforced concrete, replacing ‘disposable’ houses with long lasting natural houses. With the high price of land in central Tokyo, a long-term lease and durable, sustainable housing makes sense financially as well.
#3 Cooperation with Kenjuin TempleThe land is owned by a Buddhist temple called Kenjuin, with the ‘construction union’ set up by the temple also taking charge of construction. One attraction is to be able to live in a warm, close community in the middle of the city, surrounded by greenery in temple-like grounds. There are also other points worthy of an eco-village such as roof-top gardens, solar power generation, and composting.
With completion due for November ’10, you can hear more about the development at their orientations, or keep up to date on the blog.“Give thanks to the Earth for housing us
That is the kind of home we aim forWhat do you think about living in a natural house in the middle of the city?
This article is translated from the original Japanese post
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Yoshimizu: Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by ZemokoA previous greenz article ‘Bring on Summer Vacation! But what really is eco-tourism?’ gave an introduction to just what ecologically sound tourism is. Now allow us to propose ecologically sound hotels as a chic way to spend your vacation.
So, how can one find one of these ‘eco-hotels’?Enter ‘Green Key’, the international eco label for tourism facilities.
Green Key is an international label showing that a hotel, restaurant, or other tourism facility complies with it’s eco standards. It begun in 1994 with the backing of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency as a way of accrediting Danish hotels with eco-labels, and has now spread to cover over 820 facilities in 14 countries, including three facilities in Japan. Hotels recognized by Green Key cover all areas of the spectrum; from small-scale privately operated hostels to luxury hotels such as the Marriot Copenhagen, Raddison Blu Ambassador, and Sheraton Stockholm Hotel & Towers.
To obtain the Green Key, facilities must fulfill a minimum of 80 out of 94 requirements in a variety of criteria such as reduction of energy consumption and waste, and use of organic products. Criteria cover not only physical aspects of the facility, but also management, communication, and other aspects that aim to encourage environmental awareness among staff, patrons, and suppliers. Accreditation is valid for one year only, meaning that facilities must continue their environmental efforts in order to keep their Green Key.The Myojinkan in Nagano, Japan, was the first facility in Asia to be accredited in May 2009, followed by the Hotel Rich & Garden Sakata in Yamagata, and the Yoshimizu Inn in Tokyo, introduced in the clip below as the one of the UK Daily Telegraph’s top five most popular hotels in Tokyo. Each facility took between 1-3 years to obtain the Green Key, however real reduction of environmental impact can been seen, such as a 10% reduction in water use by changing showerheads, and a 50% reduction in waste over three years by sorting recyclables from waste were achieved by the Hotel Rich & Garden Sakata.
As revealed in the greenz article ‘Eco’? ‘Green’? Beware of Misleading ‘Green Washing’ the definition of ‘eco’ is not always as clear as it should be. With this in mind, Green Key provides patrons with a subjective standard by which to choose environmentally friendly hotels. Why not spend a few days in a Green Key hotel this summer, and take the time to think about the world we live in?
This article has been translated from the original Japanese post
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SustainableCommunity
Meet the Konohana Family, an agricultural collective at the Foot of Mt. Fuji, Shizuoka
Aug 5th, 2009
Lunch at Konohana Family, Isadon is facing the camera in a blue T-shirt. Photo by family member IsaoIn 1993, perhaps long before the term Eco Village came into popular usage in Japan, a middle aged interior designer and carpenter from Nagoya and several companions were asking themselves if there weren’t a better way to live than the extreme consumerism that was reflected in Japanese society at the time and still is today. The following year they purchased some property in the rural municipality of Fujinomiya, just south west of Mt. Fuji, and set about answering the question. While they are still at it today, they have found their answer and for them it is an unequivocal yes.
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Kitagawaen happy to be at the Tokyo Farmer’s Market
Apparently, a little sun can make a world of difference. I ventured down to the July Earth Day Market in Yoyogi Park to see what the market might be like dry. My first visit occurred in absolutely pouring rain, and I felt I didn’t get a fair impression. There were a good number of vendors then, and we still managed to spend a few happy hours eating and shopping.
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SustainableCommunity
Life is sustainable when you are having fun – a day at the Awanowa Market in Kamogawa
Jun 30th, 2009
(Photo provided by the “Kamogawa Ecological Minded Kingdom”)
On Sunday, as part of my continuing study of sustainable living in Japan, I traveled from Tokyo down the coast of the Boso peninsula, which makes up most of Chiba prefecture, to attend the Awanowa Community Cafe & Market (Japanese link), a green event timed to celebrate the rice planting and which is attended by members of the growing network of sustainable living practitioners in the area.
Connected directly to Tokyo on the east side of the city, which seamlessly spreads across the border, and extending downward to form the eastern side of Tokyo Bay, Chiba prefecture is a paradoxical mix of 20th century industrial development with areas of seemingly untouched forest and some of the most beautiful rice terraces in Japan. Apparently, this is the result of government policy during the period of industrialization in which the rail lines in the prefecture were primarily built on the east and west coasts to connect shipping facilities and industry, allowing parts of the center of the peninsula to remain rural. This is in contrast with the areas to the south, west, and north of Tokyo where rail was developed primarily to carry workers to the city and now envelopes it in a complex web of commuter lines resulting in continuous city and suburbs.
The site of the event was the “Kamogawa Ecological Minded Kingdom” (Japanese link), a farming co-op set up by the activist and organic farmer Toshio Fujimoto and his wife, the well known singer/songwriter Tokiko Kato. This spot serves as one of the cultural hubs for the sustainability movement in the Kanto plain, which includes Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama (Kanagawa), and Saitama. In addition to booths selling organic produce and hand made goods from the various eco minded communities and individuals in Chiba, the event featured a talk session with Kato and two other eco celebrities, the macro-biotic expert and writer Deco Nakajima and the actress Ikue Masudo, followed by live music performed by several local bands. Despite heavy rain in the middle of the day, the peaceful atmosphere, friendly smiles, and often stunningly beautiful scenery provided a refreshing break from central Tokyo life.
Life is sustainable when you are having fun.
I briefly spoke to one of the event’s organizers, Yoshiki Hayashi of the NPO “Uzu”, a healthy, lean, tanned man who seemed to personify to me the image of the traditional Japanese farmer seen in the earliest photographs of Japan from the 19th century, despite the modern artistic cut of his hand made indigo blue work clothes. He described the loose collective gathered here as “Rainbow Village”, fulfilling a role to bridge the gap between sustainable Japanese traditions and the future sustainable Japanese society he envisions. He had much to say on living sustainably, pointing out that in order to invoke change in society, changing one’s own life and getting back in tune with the earth through farming was far more effective than any more revolutionary methods could be.
But the line that hit home most of all was that “life is sustainable when you are having fun”. In Japanese, it was “tanoshii koto ga jizoku kanou”, or literally “fun things are sustainable”. Certainly not everything fun is sustainable, but it is far more difficult to sustain an activity if it isn’t.
The root of the Japanese word tanoshii, or “fun”, is the Chinese character for both “happy” and “music”. In addition to the “fun” meaning, the same character is used alone to mean, essentially, “easy”, as in “take it easy”. I asked Yoshiki how much time he spent on the likely demanding task of maintaining his own rice terraces and he said that while it was hard work and obviously there were seasonal peaks, he rarely spent more than half a day in maintenance and growing his own food, leaving the rest of the day open to do what ever he liked, which in his case is art.
I thought of Japan’s famous traditional “Matsuri” festivals originally celebrated by farming communities as I soaked in the peaceful vibes and sounds of the gathering, and thought that perhaps I needed to add “fun” to my definition of sustainability.
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SustainableCommunity
Learning From Traditional Japanese Principles: A Community of Wisdom
Jun 20th, 2009
In my post here on greenz.jp last week I came up with a tentative definition of “sustainability” as part of this ongoing series exploring sustainable living in Japan. This week I’d like to jump right into the action and introduce a Japanese organization whose aim is to share traditional Japanese values with the world in order to promote sustainable living.
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This post is the first in a series about a recent trip exploring Nagano Prefecture with One Life Japan, an organization offerng biking and hiking tours of rural Japan along with thought-provoking alternatives to conventional life.
Volunteers organized by One Life Japan work with professional thatchersGolden Week 2009 found us rumbling along mountain roads in Spring. Dry rice fields rimmed small villages, rows of tulips, blossoming wild cherries and mountain rivers nearly bursting with meltwater greeted us as we made our way to Koakazawa. There we joined other volunteers to rethatch the roof of a traditional Japanese farmhouse.
