March 2005
Cover Story 1
Getting ready for the drastic changes of the environmental laws
Fundamental amendments are expected for various environment-related laws, including the Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy (Energy Conservation Law) and the Waste Management and Public Cleaning Law (Waste Disposal Law)
Overview of the radical changes of environmental laws: Revolutionary amendments are aimed at global warming prevention and recycling-based society
Fundamental revision and further tightening of regulations in the Energy Conservation Law: Unified management of heat and electricity is to be adopted in the new plan, while responsibility is to be imposed on transportation businesses
More items are to be included in the top-runner system, and new standards are to be established
Revision of fundamental policies in the Waste Disposal Law: Charging system for waste collection is likely to become the principal national policy in the aim of reducing waste generation
Cover Story 2
Trends and possible measures of the Kyoto Protocol
Government barges in the voluntary action plans by industries
Report
Nuclear fuel cycle
A plant with its back to the wall experimentally reprocesses uranium, aiming at commercial operation
Technology Frontline
Products
[Geothermal binary generation] Test operation starts for low-temperature geothermal generation - an underdeveloped technology
Trend
[Heat insulating window sashes] Law costs promotes rapid spread of key materials for energy-efficient housing
Elements
[Diamond semiconductor] Toshiba applies diamond in liquid crystal display TV as an energy-saving device
Technology & people
[Tsunemasa Taguchi, Professor, Yamaguchi University] Energy-saving, longer lasting white LED street lights are developed for practical use
Honor students in recycling
[RPF (refused plastic and paper fuel)] Profits from sales and waste treatment charge can generate 2.4 billion yen per year
Technology News Clips
Learn about environmental laws
Easy-to-understand Environmental Law
[Law Concerning the Promotion of the Measures to Cope with Global Warming] Complete enforcement of the law is expected at the same time as the Kyoto Protocol implementation
Environmental Laws Q & A
Is the revision of the manuals effective to promote proper treatment of infectious medical waste?
This Months Environmental Law
Illegal disposal of industrial waste amounts to 894 cases in fiscal 2003
Kenichi Mizunos Report from the Diet
Discussion on environmental taxes makes progress and expands its site to outside of the LDP's Research Commission on the Tax System
Trend and News
Recycling of containers and packaging
Arrest of two entrusted recyclers in Sendai reveals the lenient operation of the Law for Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (Containers and Packaging Recycling Law)
Crisis management
CSR for Disaster Prevention gains more value after ten years from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
Eco Car
European and American automakers, including Porsche, chase after Toyota in the hybrid car development race
Recycling
Super Eco-town is led by private sectors, while the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is demanded to back up the project by strengthening the control
Environmental policy
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government authorizes colored plastic bags for garbage collection; can it be effective in the fight against the wicked crows?
Environmental policy
The industry-oriented Bush administration keeps wiping out forest conservation policies
Biodiversity
Japan is identified as a hot spot, or one of the areas with the richest and most threatened ecosystem in the world
CSR Frontline
The British-born assessment indices allow comparison among corporations
The Indian Ocean Tsunami challenges the way of private companies to provide disaster aids
ECO Interview
Shiro Ishihara, president of Komehyo, Ltd.: The lifeline of a recycling shop is in the buying techniques
ECO Column
Kankan Gakugaku (Active Argument over Environmental Issues)
Shinichi Tsuji, cultural anthropologist
Takuro Morinagas ECO Lifestyle
Is the holiday illumination really unnecessary?
Fieldwork Japan
Offshore wind power generation is fueled up by the seasonal wind and sea wind
Report
Vice-Rector Itaru Yasuis Eco Michelin
Online shopping
Achieve the Top Sales with Eco Products!
Abiko City, Chiba Prefecture / Oban Abiko Citizen Bond
Inside-Out
[Digging up waste from landfills - part 3] Toyoshima dares to deal with the negative heritage
WorldWatch Institute
WroldWatch receives numerous letters - both pros and cons on the previous article about the NGO conservation plans
ECO Seminar
How to make the best use of ISO
[Efforts by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. part 1] Original evaluation table helps select effective environmental aspects
New Environmental Study
[Forest management in Canada] Aims are set at sustainable management and wood products with added values
Quick Guide to Environmental Key Words
Fuel cells
Learn from Environmental Reports of Companies Overseas
Suncor Energy Inc. (Canada) - part 1
World Trend
From EU
The new chemical substances regulation is to affect Japanese industries, imposing responsibility to the downstream user companies
From UK
Unofficial post Kyoto meetings are held with participation by policy planners from various countries, including the U.S.
From USA
Reconstruction of the towns devastated by the Great Sumatra Earthquake may be taken as an opportunity for green buildings
From Germany
Sustainable investment is defined as a form of investment that contributes to the environment, society and culture
From China
Wind power generation is increased in Guangdong Province in order to solve the problem of unstable supply of electricity, a source of concern for Japanese companies
Nikkei BP EcoManagement Forum
[ECO graph]
Corporations start to review their social contribution as part of CSR measures
