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| | Web Japan >>| Trends in Japan >> | Evolving Trends :: ENVIRONMENT | |
BURYING CO2 TO COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING(February 2, 2007) Interest in sub-seabed storage - a method of sealing carbon dioxide (CO2) under the seabed - has been growing. The underground sequestration of the gas is regarded as a very promising method for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. |
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 ELECTRICITY FROM SEAWEED(August 24, 2006) Japanese researchers have developed a biomass fermentation system that uses seaweed dredged from the shore to produce fuel for generating electricity. |
WIND POWER TAKES OFF(March 29, 2006) Communities and industries in Japan are increasingly looking to wind power to help out with their energy needs. Several cities and towns in Japan have been building "citizens' windmills." |
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 HYBRID GOES MAINSTREAM(February 24, 2006) The age of the hybrid car has finally arrived. The latest models boast vastly improved engines and other features that leave their predecessors in the dust. |
COUNTDOWN TO EXPO 2005(March 15, 2004) From March 25 to September 25, 2005, the Nagoya Eastern Hills, which are located in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan, will play host to the 2005 World Exposition, an unprecedented event in the history of International Expositions that will give birth to a new global society surrounded with rich greenery and beautiful ponds. |
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CAN NATTO SAVE THE EARTH?(March 4, 2004) Natto (fermented soybeans), a traditional Japanese food rich in protein and vitamin B, is becoming widely known as a health food. Though it is a bit difficult to eat because of its stickiness, it has been discovered that this stickiness may be able to play an important role in protecting the environment. |
WEARABLE CORN(January 5, 2004) From underwear made from corn to fabric produced using banana trees and T-shirts woven from bamboo, plant fibers are making their way into clothing and other everyday products. |
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BIOPLASTIC(December 16, 2003) More and more uses are being found for next-generation plastics made from such plants as sweet potatoes and sugarcane. Bioplastics are environmentally friendly because, compared with traditional plastics, their production results in the emission of less carbon dioxide. |
FUEL CELLS FOR THE HOME(July 23, 2003) Competition to develop fuel-cell systems for the home is heating up, and some could be on the market as early as next year. The spread of such systems to generate electricity will help conserve fuel and could slow down environmental destruction. |
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QUENCHING A GLOBAL THIRST(June 26, 2003) Water shortages, which the world faces now and is predicted to face even more in the future, are a particularly acute problem, and Japanese universities and companies are making a variety of efforts to alleviate them. |
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WORLD WATER FORUM (March 14, 2003) The world is now facing a water crisis, including water shortages and water pollution. Japan will host the Third World Water Forum in March, at which it is hoped new efforts to solve water problems will be proposed and carried out. |
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GREEN PLASTIC(February 13, 2003) Plastic is notorious for the harm it causes to the environment as a result of its resistance to biological degradation. But moves are afoot to render it into a less permanent substance. |
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FUELING A GREEN REVOLUTION (February 3, 2003) Japanese automakers have taken the lead in commercializing environmentally friendly fuel cell vehicles that run on hydrogen. In December 2002 Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. became the first companies in the world to market fuel cell vehicles when they leased some cars to government agencies and universities in Japan and the United States. |
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TOO HOT IN THE CITY (September 2, 2002) Efforts to alleviate the "heat island" effect are gathering momentum in Japan. |
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KEEPING COOL (August 2, 2002) The government and private sector are now working hard to implement anti-global-warming measures, such as energy saving. |
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FROM A BOTTLE INTO A BAG (June 12, 2002) Recently more and more plastic bottles are being collected after use and made into new products. The recycled material has been turned into uniforms for schools and companies, egg cartons, and even business cards. |
OUTWITTING GARBAGE(November 30, 2001) Food waste is recycled into fertilizer, which helps grow rice and vegetables, which find their way back onto dinner tables. This kind of "food cycle" is becoming more widespread thanks to the Food Product Recycling Law, which went into effect in May 2001. |
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IT'S ONLY NATURAL(November 27, 2001) "Nature schools" give children an opportunity to commune with nature by taking part in various outdoor activities. The aim is for children to learn about personal relations through communal life and enhance their capacity to adapt to the environment. |
ROOFTOP GREENERY(October 4, 2001) Many of Japan's leading general contractors are putting efforts into the development of rooftop greenery, which involves planting trees, flowers, and other plants on top of buildings so as to absorb heat. It is hoped that rooftop greenery will lessen the "heat-island" effect, cut air-conditioning costs, and reduce noise pollution. |
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ENERGY OF THE FUTURE(April 16, 2001) There are great hopes that fuel cells will someday become a common source of clean energy. Many different industries are working hard to develop fuel cells for everyday use at home and in automobiles. |
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MAKING JAPAN A RECYCLING SOCIETY (March 23, 2001) Discarded appliances will now be recycled as resources under the Household Appliance Recycling Law, which will go into force in April 2001. |
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