Exploring the environment with Tokyo school children

A plan to recycle obsolete uniforms at Tokio Marine & Nichido has grown into a popular program to teach Tokyo school children the facts of life about green living. When the new company was formed in October 2004, the former uniforms of female employees were recycled into organic potting containers, and it was decided that these products should be donated to schools to show how the
non-wasteful utilization of limited resources and energy can benefit the preservation of the global environment. Receptive officials suggested that a comprehensive education program would be an even better way to communicate the ideas to students, and the plan was made for company volunteers to teach these classes at local schools. The majority of the volunteer teachers were veterans of the company's mangrove forest planting program.*
  Beginning in October 2005, on the first anniversary of the company's merger and renaming, Tokio Marine & Nichido began a series of comprehensive classes on the topic of global warming at 20 elementary schools in metropolitan Tokyo, taught by 50 volunteers from amongst company offices, agencies and retirees from around the country. The program has been realized with the support of the Tokyo Environmental Office, and is being considered for use throughout Japan.

*As previously covered by Mitsubishi Monitor, in 1999 the company initiated a program to replant mangrove forests, the so-called "ocean forests," in six countries of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.

Ask anyone who's ever been to Tokyo during the summer: the heat can be murderous. The masses of tarmac, concrete and steel trap the heat, creating an "urban heat island" with average temperatures far higher than the surrounding countryside.

Thermography of roof showing that areas painted with KD ECO-COOL (green), were much cooler than the unpainted areas (red).

  To combat the effect, and cut the heavy energy consumption used for air-conditioning, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has launched an ambitious three-year plan involving "greening" of rooftops and wall surfaces as well as using highly reflective paint on buildings.
  To help test the project's feasibility, paint manufacturer Dai Nippon Toryo painted the roof of a former school with its highly reflective KD ECO-COOL coating. By using the paint from the base coat to the finish, a method known as the ECO-COOL COATING SYSTEM, the building's rooftop temperature fell from 62 °C to 47 °C, dropping room temperatures by 1.5 degrees.
  This may not sound like much, but achieving such a reduction in buildings across Tokyo over the scorching summer months, would mean substantial energy savings and CO₂ emission cuts. In combination with greener rooftops and wall surfaces, which would further reflect heat, Tokyo's overall energy consumption could be significantly reduced.

Alberta, Canada is home to North America's newest paper pulp plant. It is owned by Alpac Forest Products Inc. (AFPI), which, in turn, is 70% owned by Mitsubishi Corporation. Oji Paper Co., Ltd. owns the other 30%. Recently AFPI gained forest management certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). With an area of 5.5 million hectares, the forest concerned is the biggest single forest in the world and the first in northwestern Canada to be so approved.

A sustainable forest and pulp plant in northwestern Canada, partially owned by Mitsubishi Corporation.

  The highly respected FSC forest certification system guarantees that AFPI pulp products are from forests that are appropriately managed according to strict sustainable forest management standards, with consideration for the environment, society and economic performance. FSC is a non-profit membership organization established by environmental groups, forestry companies, organizations of indigenous people, forestry industry certification organizations and other groups.
  AFPI manages forest resources in northern Alberta under an agreement with the provincial government of Alberta. From the outset, it has employed appropriate forest management methods to maintain good relationships with all external stakeholders, including local governments, indigenous people and other industries. During the FSC certification process, AFPI received support from external stakeholders, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Future energy scientists clamor for a fuel-cell ride, while others learn about hydrogen filling stations.

Last fall, Nippon Oil invited 50 local children to the JHFC Yokohama Asahi Hydrogen Station for an experiential learning event on next-generation energy.

  This is the first program undertaken by Nippon Oil that employs hands-on learning as an enjoyable way for children to learn about earth-friendly, next-generation energy. The day's discussion focused on global warming and included inspection of a hydrogen station (hydrogen production plant, storage tanks and supply systems.)
  Throughout the day, students listened attentively to the explanations provided by the staff, during which they were overheard to say, "it doesn't stink like gasoline," "I was surprised at all the splendid equipment," and "I was relieved to learn that there is no danger of hydrogen leakage." After learning about the operation of a fuel cell vehicle, and eagerly awaiting their chance to ride in one of just 60 vehicles presently operating in the country, students commented that it was surprisingly quiet and without exhaust odor, and finally, "I wouldn't get carsick riding in this!"
  Nippon Oil plans to continue its work to benefit local communities through experiential learning programs and seminars for young students at its central technical research laboratory and refineries around the country.

PECOLOGY's adorable panda mascot stars in this TV commercial promoting recycling.

In Japan, dogs bark "wan-wan," roosters crow "kokekoko" and the sound of a PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottle being crushed is "peco-peco." Kirin Beverage has incorporated the sound with "ecology" in re-launching Kirin NamaCha, its popular green tea beverage in new two-liter "PECOLOGY"* bottles. The new resource-efficient PECOLOGY bottle used for this and other beverages has saved 3,450 tons of materials in 10 months compared with PET bottles previously used by the company.
  To achieve these results, the weight of the two-liter PECOLOGY bottle was reduced by two-thirds, making it just 42 grams and the lightest PET bottle available in Japan today. This revolutionary bottle is just as strong as other PET bottles when full, but is easily crushed when empty, making it readily disposable of and less burdensome for consumers when separating it from other refuse. The bottle is the combined result of Kirin Beverage's production expertise and the bottle design and molding capabilities of the French Groupe Danone.
  Overall, the new bottles have helped the Kirin NamaCha brand increase its sales 20% from March through the end of November 2005, as Kirin Beverage once more harmonizes its business aims with the needs of society.
*PECOLOGY is a registered trademark of Kirin MC Danone Waters.