December 2007

Cover Story - Part 1

Instantly lucrative plans to slim down CO₂ emission

Thirty timely energy-saving measures

 

Introduction: Ways to reduce CO₂ at absolutely no cost

Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd./Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

 

Basic stage:

Cast doubt on textbook theories

Fukuoka City Public Library/NEC Access Technica, Ltd.

Ensure thorough verification of data

Hino Motors, Ltd./TYD Co., Ltd.

 

Advanced stage: Heighten cost awareness

Sony Corporation/Ricoh Company, Ltd./DENSO CORPORATION

 

Guideline: The real effect of saving energy

Ryuichi Joukei’s “17-article constitution” for energy saving

 

Cover Story - Part 2

Management system and localization are the keys to success in the China strategy implemented by Matsushita Electric Industrial

 

The keys to success at the Wanbao plant

 

The Declaration of Becoming an Environmentally Contributing Company in China accelerates the company’s environmental measures

 

Interview: Fumio Ohtsubo, President, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

 

Learn about Technologies

 

First Step in Technology

[Electric Vehicle] Taking advantage of state-of-the-art batteries and motors, electric cars strive to attain both longer cruising distance and safety

 

Energy Conservation

[Eco-driving Diagnostic System] Providing fuel-efficient driving tips based on detailed analysis of driving data

 

Fuel Cell

[New Structure Developed for Vehicles] While realizing low cost by abandoning use of precious platinum, the new fuel cell also achieves high output with liquid fuel

 

Learn about Environmental Laws

 

Re-introduction: Easy-to-Understand Environmental Law

[Law for Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging] Consumers, municipalities and businesses promote re-merchandising of household waste

 

How to Read the Environmental Ordinance – Part 11

Ordinances for local environmental tax

Industrial waste tax and tax on extraction of forest products are introduced by an increasing number of municipalities, while questions are raised about these taxes being merely ways of increasing taxes

 

Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law Q & A

How should treatment of general waste be entrusted to waste disposal firms when the waste is essentially as dangerous as Special Management Industrial Waste?

 

This Month’s Environmental Law

Projected amounts of waste to be collected under the Law for Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging have been announced, in which the amount of PET bottles shows an increase by 34%

 

Easy-to-Understand REACH – Part 2

Surprisingly many firms are required to register

 

Trend and News

 

Global Warming Issue

Electronics and automobile industries strengthen measures to reduce CO₂, with some firms adopting new target amounts of total reduction

 

Natural Energy

The world’s first commercial wave power station is to be launched, using facilities developed by a Scottish firm

 

Tokyo Motor Show

Serving as an opportunity to display diversified hybrid technologies, the Tokyo Motor Show represents a prelude to the coming severe competition among eco cars

 

Eco Labels

The Ministry of the Environment to announce a guideline for eco labels in order to raise alarm over excessive number of Type II eco labels, which are adopted based on firms’ own standards

 

Natural Energy

Enzymes to be commercialized by two Danish firms, which convert non-food biomass into sugar, are expected to contribute to the achievement of second generation bioethanol

 

Global Warming Issue

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and the IPCC proves that the idea of climate security has become widespread

 

Environmental Measures

In an interview, Ichiro Kamoshita, Minister of the Environment, states that Prime Minister Fukuda is enthusiastically tackling environmental issues

 

CSR Frontline

In response to the issue of transparency raised regarding carbon offset schemes, the UK government sets standards to which offset providers should voluntarily adhere

 

As investors keep an eye on firms’ political activities, superficial CSR becomes a potential management risk

 

Climate Change Policies

Q & A to understand climate change policies

 

A wind power project in Egypt sets an example of a CDM project funded by ODA

 

This month’s emission rights prices

 

Learn about Environmental Issues

Truth and False of Environmental Science

[Ecosystem] Is the number of whales really decreasing?

 

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

[greenwash]

 

Threats Waiting around the Corner

Worst coral bleaching ever caused by severe typhoons coupled with rising sea temperatures

 

Column

Kankan Gakugaku (Active Argument over Environmental Issues)

Sakana-kun, TV personality

 

Challenge the Environmental Policies! – Part 11

Inconsistent biofuel policies

 

Contemplating with Environmental Thought – Part 6

Imaginative ideas required to solve the tuna shortage problem

 

Cuisines of Japan

Decline in rice prices depicts unhealthy skew in food culture

 

THE ROOTS – Japan’s Environmental Technology

[Ecocute] The driving force for proliferating all-electric housing

 

Report

Inside-Out

[Is dioxin an issue of the past? – Part 2] Suffering continues among Kanemi oil poisoning patients

 

WorldWatch Institute

In Sri Lanka, struggling to recover from disaster, even international financial aid fuels racial conflict

 

From Business Week

An age when excessive electricity is stored underground

 

Itaru Yasui’s “Eco Michelin”

[Heater: oil heater] Although safe, energy efficiency is dissatisfactory

 

ECO Seminar

Cure for the Headache of ISO Officers

What are the points to take care of when issuing declaration of conformity?

 

Suggesting Eco-management Strategies to the Top Management – Part 11

Environmental/CSR reports published with an aggressive approach

 

New Environmental Study

[Reconsidering energy in terms of exergy] In reality, 64% of energy resources are wasted

 

Key Word

Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change / Food Mileage

 

World Trend

From EU

The River Danube project sets the example of an ideal future river management, in which survey processes are visualized to build consensus

 

From UK

Results of survey on global warming countermeasures taken by world’s leading firms reveal that US firms lag behind in environmental awareness

 

From USA

The world of sports also being hard hit by global warming, sporting facilities and their operations are going green

 

From Germany

Energy conservation policies should be based on total material requirement (TMR), taking into account the indirect consumption of resources

 

From China

Chinese government plans to spend 30 trillion yen on renewable energy, aiming to double its share in primary energy consumption by 2020