Traditional rice harvesting
On the contrary, Japan’s latest green innovations are right on trend.
By David Crosbie
Suzuki san, an elderly Japanese gentleman of my acquaintance, used to recount the following anecdote. In years of poor harvest, the Japanese government has occasionally, and rather reluctantly, imported some rice from abroad. The country normally prides itself on being self-sufficient in this staple food, and domestic production is staunchly protected. During one such year my friend received a packet of rice from Thailand which, he was proud to say, he threw out uneaten. While some (particularly Thais!) might find this mildly offensive, he felt he was doing his patriotic duty by eschewing non-Japanese rice.
I was reminded of this incident when reading a report in the Japan Times on the Eco Products Fair held recently at Tokyo’s Big Sight venue. More than one of the 721 exhibitors had come up with novel ways to put to use rice from Japan’s vast stockpile that had become too old for human consumption. If such technology had been available at the time, rather than simply throwing out his unwanted rice Suzuki san could have had it turned into a biodegradable plastic for use in carrier bags, fans or folders.
Other new products on show included ‘bio-silica’ firewood made from rice husks, tatami mats made from used green tea leaves and machines that recycle used diapers (including the adult diapers that are increasingly common in Japan’s ageing society) into odourless fuel pellets.
One interesting aspect of all this is the way in which the 180,000 visitors to the three day event demonstrate the high environmental engagement of Japanese consumers. Our GfK Roper Reports Worldwide consumer trends study shows that 27% of Japanese consumers cite global climate change as one of their top three concerns; the joint-second highest result worldwide.
The second interesting aspect is that many of the innovations mentioned above do not involve the purchase of expensive equipment on the part of the consumer. Instead, the focus is on recycling and minimising waste. At the beginning of last year, when the global recession was at its height, GfK Roper Consulting predicted that the predominant green trend for the year would be ‘green + simple’, where consumers would be more inclined to choose environmentally safe options that did not require extra outlay or even saved them money. It seems that many of the innovations from the Eco Products Fair are very much in the spirit of this idea.
Passing through Grand Central Station on the way to work over the holidays, I stopped by the Transit Museum to check out its holiday-tradition model-train display. It was great, as always, a Manhattan fantasia of trains coursing under and around the Chrysler Building and other landmarks. But what really caught my eye was the unassuming little tray of buttons I saw when I turned around to leave, each bearing the simple message “optimism.” I immediately, without thinking, bought $20 worth (18 buttons, with tax) and popped one into my coat lapel. I’ve been passing them out ever since.
