Environment
How El Nino is helping drive heatwaves and extreme weather
Countries around the world from China to the United States are battling heatwaves, with the onset of the climate phenomenon El Nino helping push temperatures higher. Scientists told Reuters that climate change and El Nino are the major drivers of extreme heat that have seen temperature records broken in Beijing… Read
Climate change costs: Which countries will foot the bill?
Record-breaking heat in China. Wildfires forcing Swiss villages to evacuate. Drought ravaging Spanish crops. As the costs of climate change rack up, a debate is surging among governments: who should pay? The question has been in the spotlight since last week's climate talks between the U.S. and China, where the… Read
Here’s how your cup of coffee contributes to climate change
Global coffee consumption has been increasing steadily for almost 30 years. With a daily average consumption of 2.7 cups of coffee per person, coffee is now Canada’s most popular drink. It is estimated that around two billion cups of coffee are consumed daily worldwide. This demand has led to considerable diversification in the… Read
Five options for restoring global biodiversity after the U.N. agreement
To slow and reverse the fastest loss of Earth’s living things since the dinosaurs, almost 200 countries signed an agreement last month in Montreal, Canada, promising to live in harmony with nature by 2050. The Kunming-Montreal agreement is not legally binding but it will require signatories to report their progress towards meeting targets… Read
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
