Living Green in Japan: How Eco-Friendly is Your Lifestyle?
By billywest • Jul 17th, 2008 • Category: Featured Story, The Latest
This isn’t one of those “Hey, I bet you I’m greener than you are” pieces. It’s not even an advice article. It’s just a “Where’re we all at with protecting the environment and all that?” post.
Personally, I know I should do a lot more. Fortunately, most cities and towns in Japan are pretty green when it comes to trash, at least compared to their Asian neighbors. Kawasaki is probably the most famous holdout and still burns plastic with paper. Apparently, they burn it more completely these days, so less dioxin is produced. Are you telling me burning technology is much more advanced now than it was 20 years ago? Give me a break.
Anyway, Where I live in Tokyo, the trash separation standards are pretty lax compared with those of the neighborhoods of some of my friends. But still, all the usual Japan trash rules apply; separate burnable and unburnable trash, PET bottles get separated from aluminum cans and glass jars, the whole nine yards. It’s not that difficult to stay on top of, but I’m still thankful there aren’t any trash nazis lurking in my neighborhood waiting to give me an earful when I put my refuse out a little early the night before pick-up.
What are some of the ways that Japanese people are thinking green? Well, here’s a short list:
- Carrying a personal set of chopsticks around to avoid using disposable ones
- Using personal shopping bags at grocery stores and convenience store instead of plastic ones
- Doing the Cool Biz thing during the summer months (no-necktie and short-sleeves, for example)
- Promotion of cars with very low emissions and high fuel efficiency
Elimination of Disposable Chopsticks (waribashi)
I try to carry a set of personal chopsticks with me to work, and even sometimes when I’m just out and about. I’ve noticed recently that more and more people are carrying their own around here in Tokyo (even though it’s not a new idea) and have found myself in the minority on more than one occasion when using disposable chopsticks at my local Yoshinoya. Yoshinoya and Matsuya are now only using reusable chopsticks.
Personal Shopping Bags (maibaggu - my bag)
There’s really no reason not to use your own bag if you make a planned trip to your local grocery or convenience store. Don’t say you’re embarrassed to be carrying one around; This is Japan for Chrissake! Guys walk around in skin-tight jeans tapered at the ankles and carry purses. Some store chains are considering charging customers for plastic bags. Most people living in Japan will agree: the whole maibaggu thing is really taking off these days.
Cool Biz
In Japan, many, if not most companies allow their employees to dress in Cool Biz during the summer. It’s basically just no-necktie and shirt unbuttoned at the collar for men, but I’m not quite sure of the standards for women. With employees dressed down, companies take it easy on the air conditioning, which is supposed to result in less CO2 produced due to less energy used. I’m a little skeptical and think most companies use the whole eco-friendly angle to justify turning down the AC in summer to save a little money on their electricity bills.
Low Emissions/High Fuel Efficiency Cars
“Nempi ga ii” or “good fuel efficiency” is one of the most often-heard phrases in Japanese car commercials today. Indeed, many Japanese are saying “nempi” is one of the top two or three factors to consider when buying a car. Of course, this could be mostly because of a desire to save money, but “nempi ga ii” cars are typically environmentally-friendly ones. The Toyota Prius is one of the most desired cars around these days.
Well, that’s it; a brief introduction to common eco-friendly behavior in Japan these days.
For more green lifestyle tips: How Green Are Japan’s Urbanites? - The Japan Times
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billywest is a resident of South Tokyo and lives on the Toyoko line.
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Japan: Mean and Green…
Ok, maybe not mean, but getting greener. Here are some of the trendier “Hey, look at how green I am” activities in the land of the rising sun. Which do you do? Take the poll….
Had to go with the silly vote. Very fun article Billy. I admire the Japanese when it comes to their commitment to being “green.” Granted its done mostly out of self-preservation, but its something I think would be good for the rest of the world to adopt. Can’t wait to get back! 1 month and counting.
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I carry my own eco bag most of the time
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Darn. I have almost the same idea for a post scheduled for tomorrow.
As you know, Sendai is really particular when it comes to separating the trash. But I’m interested to see if the new subway line will have any impact on the traffic. Maybe it will help relieve congestion in the city a little bit.
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Let’s see….what am I doing to be greener these days?
Definitely not using the A/C (both at home and in the car) as much as in the past.
Of course in the car, I do it specifically to save gas and in the home to save electricity.
Not that it is the first thing that I think of when I turn the A/C on but…..knowing it is good for the ozone is refreshing.
Even though it is sometimes a pain in the buttocks to do, I totally agree with separating trash.
And I do know that if anyone disobeys, there is a high chance the trash is left there.
In my recent experience on recyclable-paper day.
One of them was a Pantone color system (old and not worth keeping) and on it was a little bolt that kept the pages of colors together.
Well, they left my trash behind with a BIG sticker, stating the reason for leaving my trash.
Basically stated that my trash contained something that is not supposed to be thrown away that day.
It was the only thing that was not burnable and was rather easy to figure out.
Instead of holding onto the trash, until the next recyclable-paper day, I ended up throwing it away at the Family Mart.
But of course that wasn’t until after I took off the bolt.
Kamakura is strict about their trash and it is definitely rubbing off on me.
The Seiyu store near my house does charge for their plastic bags.
And they also give a discount for folks that bring their own bags.
I can’t remember the discount or charge but it is only a few yen so I still see a lot of people opting for plastic.
But if the charge and discount was greater, I bet there’d be more ‘maibaggu’ owners around….including me.
If it means more green in my wallet then I too can live greener.
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Lots of Camaro drivers according to the poll. Hmm….
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I don’t have an air conditioner. I drive a pretty efficient scooter. I use my own bags when shopping pretty frequently. That’s about it. But none of that is predicated on my attempting to be particularly green. It just makes economic and personal sense to me to live this way.
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Cool idea for a poll! The ‘69 Camero - hilarious.
I fly less than I used to. Not even planning to go home this summer. I’ll stay put and try to make the best of it. I wish I could buy solar panels to reduce my electricity bill.
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I started taking the bus and the subway here in Los Angeles about a year and a half ago when gas hit about $3 per gallon. But I also did it partly for environmental reasons. My next car will probably be something like the Toyota Yaris that gets over 35 mpg.
I think everyone just needs to have a new mindset about consumption and waste and pollution, especially in America.
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I carry my own chopsticks and a shopping bag. All gifts I give are wrapped in furoshiki or tenugui. I ride the train, the bus and my pimp Louis Garneau hybrid bike.
When I was in LA for a month a few summers ago, I got around on a borrowed Fuji 10 speed and the subway. What a trip, and I wrote about it, too - http://www.momentumplanet.ca/arts-culture/hollywood-inner-city-la-two-wheels
I used to have a bitchin’ Camaro, an 89, actually, and used to turn the stereo waaaay up while driving around my hometown - http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=cBio5LwNHQ4&feature=related
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I have never been there but if i ever do i will know soo much more, great blogs and i have looked around some of your others.
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I moved recently from Minato-ku to Chuo-ku in Tokyo and was surprised by the different policy regarding disposal of plastic garbage. In Minato-ku, “burnable” was everything you usually think of as burnable - paper, kitchen waste, etc - and everything else non-recylcable went in the non-burnable bucket. Chuo-ku though burns everything (except glass, cans and PET bottles). Apparently it some super-high temperature facility that allows them to do this safely - but it still doesn’t feel good. Whether it’s better than dumping it in landfill though is another matter…
I use maibaggu whenever I can. I also keep an eye out for convenience store clerks who slip waribashi or little spoons into the bag without asking. But as Kermit said, it’s not easy being green.
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Yeah, the whole super-high temperature burning thing bothers me because that technology is not new, but somehow, it’s suddenly a great solution. Like I said, I don’t buy it.
But, as you said, is a landfill a better idea? In Japan, it’s not even viable.
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But how much CO2 that super-high temperature burning thingy does reject? is it filtered? btw waste food can be used as a fertilizer if transformed.
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I recycle and ride my bike or walk to school. I also leave mowed grass in the garden. I don’t know if its a benefit to anything but my parents are not buying lawn/refuse bags.
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How about the Japanese stop forcing everyone young to have to move to the big cities to live which results in more building and more people turning on AC, because all that extra building - read concrete - it makes things even hotter.
Change the land use laws and the useless sunshine laws and encourage the building of more wild parks and stop the butts to nuts housing.
The crowding in Tokyo and Osaka are not helping the environment either.
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In Europe using your own bag ain’t new … and we are charged from 0.01 to 0.05 per plastic bag in most super-markets and grocery shop and people totally agree with this. “1 second to make one, 25 years for the nature to dispose of it”.
I heard that China was developing a way to turn disposable chopsticks into fuel … I say WTF! How the hell! and so on!
And BTW Our parents and grand-parents could work during summer without A.C. so why can’t we? I mean I haven’t turned on my A.C. for the last 3 summers and only using good-ol’-fans is healthier too (A.C. helps carry bacterias in their water tanks from what I heard).
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I carry my own chopsticks and certainly only use my own chopsticks at work. I get so annoyed with all the waribashi at school that teachers use everyday. I’ve noticed a few places near me have started using re-usable chopsticks (about time) recently.
I also carry my own shopping bags.
Have to admit, am guilty with the airconditioning though…. A habit I should try to break.
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