October 2007

Cover Story - Part 1

Covering a wide range of areas from coral recovery to biotope and extermination of introduced species;

Biodiversity creates business opportunities

 

Nature recovery projects create a big market

Biodiversity offers a breakthrough in finding business opportunities

 

Restoring the sea

Saving corals with 220,000 transplant tools

Government and public and private sectors join hands to restore nature of Tokyo Bay

 

Creating a nature sanctuary as part of mainstream business

Ecosystem is the key to receiving construction work order

Stork preservation brings about economic benefits to eco-town

 

“Introduced species” business

A two-trillion-yen market opens a way to ballast water control

Making profit by growing native species

 

Columns: Clever products that support biodiversity

Decoys elaborate enough for real albatross to fall in love with

By eliminating coralline flats, steel slag nurtures sea urchins

Coffee contributing to the nurturing of rain forests

Suspension bridge used by dormouse, which is designated as protected species

 

Cover Story - Part 2

U.S. measures against global warming

Firms become serious about reducing total CO₂ emission

 

Learn about Technologies

 

First Step in Technology

[Power generation using waste plastic] RPF becomes popular, achieving power generation efficiency of over 20%

 

Natural Energy

[Wood biomass gasification for power generation] Japan’s first commercialized power plant using gasified wood biomass boasts an output of 2000kW, and even recycles the tar

 

Energy Saving

[Visual electricity monitoring system] This system allows energy saving efforts to be monitored for each housing facility, aiming to keep up users’ awareness through detailed visualization

 

Learn about Environmental Laws

 

Re-introduction: Easy-to-Understand Environmental Law

[Water Pollution Prevention Law] The law, which regulates wastewater produced by plants and business sites, adopts stricter standard for zinc to conserve wildlife

 

How to Read the Environmental Ordinance - Part 9

Ordinances for soil contamination countermeasures

Municipalities increase opportunities of contamination surveys, adopt measures to conserve groundwater, and control construction waste soil

 

Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law Q & A

Is it acceptable to leave the quantity column blank when issuing a manifest?

 

This Month’s Environmental Law

Revised Law concerning Special Measures for Total Emission Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides and Particulate Matter from Automobiles in Specified Areas, to be enforced in January, includes shops and plants among the facilities required to notify the governor

 

Trend and News

 

Fiscal 2008 Budget

The government lays out measures to encourage energy saving by households and businesses, but lacks drastic additional measures

 

Eco Car

The reason why German automakers decided to shift their policies toward developing hybrid cars

 

Abnormal Weather

Will Japan’s record high temperature keep soaring?

 

Biodiversity

Outlook on Japanese version of marine eco-label

 

Environmental Regulations

The momentous new fuel efficiency target takes effect, encouraging proliferation of clean diesel vehicles

 

Home Appliance Recycling

Hopes of introducing advance payment system of recycling fees abandoned, reduction of the fees become the focal point

 

Preventing Global Warming

The latest season of the popular television show in the U.S., “24”, aims to become carbon neutral

 

Preventing Global Warming

The government announces fiscal 2010 emission outlook, revealing its dependence on purchase of emission rights even at this point in time

 

Venous Distribution System

The reason why China intentionally evaded serious talks at its first-time meeting with Japan to discuss waste trade

 

Eco Funds

The issue of water resources depletion draws attention to water-related firms for integration into investment trusts under the theme of water resources

 

CSR Frontline

The new ISO SR standard to be applied to all organizations will be issued in 2009 as ISO26000

 

Suncor Energy, which pioneered development of the oil sands, greatly reduces environmental impact through its new technology

 

Climate Change Policies

Q and A to understand climate change policies

 

A system in which medium- and small-sized firms gain emission rights as a reward for reducing CO₂ will be fully launched next fiscal year

 

This month’s emission rights prices

 

Learn about Environmental Issues

Truth and False of Environmental Science

[Local production for local consumption] Does it really achieve smaller environmental impact from a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) perspective?

 

Junko Edahiro’s Eye-opening Facts on Environmental Terms in English

[biomimicry]

 

Threats Waiting around the Corner

A total of 170,000 deer are exterminated each year as harmful animals that are difficult to co-exist with human beings

 

Column

Kankan Gakugaku (Active Argument over Environmental Issues)

Kenichi Nagira, folk singer/TV talent

 

Challenge the Environmental Policies! - Part 9

Pressured by EU restrictions

 

Contemplating with Environmental Thought - Part 4

A question posed by Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa

 

Cuisines of Japan

Expanding damage caused by animals and birds deprive farmers of their motivation to work

 

THE ROOTS - Japan’s Environmental Technology

[Recycled photocopier] Gaining trust through quality assurance on a par with conventional models

 

Report

Inside-Out

[Japan’s Waste Export ‒Part 4] Outflow of waste home appliances to overseas countries

 

WorldWatch Institute

With the aim of recovering trust, standards are starting to be developed for carbon offset, which still has numerous problems to overcome

 

From BusinessWeek

Unexpected issues concerning bottled water

 

Itaru Yasui’s “Eco Michelin”

[Convenience stores] The time has come for a decision to review 24-hour trading

 

ECO Seminar

Cure for the Headache of ISO Officers

How can internal audit be implemented effectively?

 

Suggesting Eco-management Strategies to the Top Management - Part 9

Eco-management needed particularly in times of emergency

 

New Environmental Study

[Upstream Emissions Trading]

The system ensures the achievement of CO₂ reduction target

 

Key Word

CO₂ emission coefficient / El Nino and La Nina

 

World Trend

From EU

Germany to mark a milestone this year in offshore wind power generation, with big strides forward in government policies

 

From UK

U.K. to introduce emissions trading scheme for large organizations including large retailers and schools

 

From USA

Global warming poses security risks, urging countries around the world to review their strategies for using military power

 

From Germany

Introduction of new electricity meters progresses in the EU, which is expected to lead to CO₂ reduction of 10 million t in Germany

 

From China

With China RoHS enforced for six months, the government rushes to develop details of the regulations