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Environment
7-Eleven Japan begins to implement new colorless food containers to reduce CO2 emissions
Japanese convenience store giant 7-Eleven certainly seems to embrace change. From the recently installed floating hologram registers to a simple tactic for extending the shelf life of onigiri rice balls in an effort to reduce food waste, it seems like the chain is always near the front of the pack when it comes to integrating… Read
How sustainable forestry grew into a tree-top playground in Nara Prefecture
The village of Totsukawa on the Kii Peninsula is over 670 square kilometers in size. Just 3,000 people live in this remote area where 96% of the surface area is covered by steep, forested mountains. The trees are Totsukawa’s most valuable resource and forestry has been its largest industry for… Read
Tackling ocean plastic, with Atlantic Pacific
Young people across Japan joined forces in March to combat plastic in the world’s oceans with Japanese non-profit lifeboat organization Atlantic Pacific. Funded by The Nippon Foundation and part of the Umi-to-Nippon Project (The Ocean and Japan Project), the international program encompasses a Spring Camp for junior and senior high… Read
In search of forest medicine in Japan
Forest therapy, a guided outdoor practice, can benefit our well-being and give us more grounding. A licensed guide helps those who join a session to rediscover the joy of wandering and wondering in the forest or another natural environment. Beyond relaxation and the connection with nature , there are numerous… Read
Giving back: Recycling abandoned homes in rural Japan
The abundance of akiya (vacant houses) dotted all over the Japanese countryside has hit the headlines in recent years. While some of these empty houses make it into the municipalities’ Akiya Banks, many are already uninhabitable. Despite Japan’s zero waste policy, the idea of salvaging lumber and other materials from… Read
Beauty brand BOTANIST starts SDGs reforestation project in Hokkaido
Since 2017, Lifestyle and Beauty product brand BOTANIST has been dedicating a portion of its sales to acts of reforestation and woodland conservation in Japan. The brand, which is based on the concept of "living among plants will bring a prosperous future," is fully committed to being a sustainable brand and has… Read
Stay weed-free with the help of goats — Japanese farm offers eco-friendly alternative to mowing
It’s not often that farms in the middle of the Japanese countryside make for interesting news, and less so when the news involves methods to keep areas free from pesky weeds and bushes. However, Magoroku Farm in Takeo City, Saga Prefecture has been doing just that recently, thanks in part to their… Read
Experience releasing baby sea turtles in Shizuoka Prefecture
Hamamatsu is the largest city in Shizuoka—the prefecture in central Japan most famous for sharing Mount Fuji with neighboring Yamanashi Prefecture. Yet a spectacular event happens annually here that manages to fly mostly out of sight of the national tourism radar. From May to August, loggerhead sea turtles come out of the ocean and onto the… Read
