'Environment Roderigues' is an environmental non-profit organization run by Waseda University students. This group examined garbage composition at the university in 2001, and found that discarded food packaging accounted for 40 percent of all garbage. In order to reduce the burden on the environment, and with the cooperation of take-out food stores around the university, Environment Roderigues launched a campaign to encourage students to bring their own lunchboxes into which the take-out food stores would pack the food purchased. Because many students bought food packed in disposable containers at convenience stores, this kind of container re-use system was expected to have a meaningful impact.

However, the campaign was not successful because many students were unwilling to bring their own lunchboxes and wash them after eating, and so the campaign was ended in 2003. Based on this experience, Environment Roderigues shifted its focus outside the school and established an EBM (Environmental Business Model) study group in December 2002. It aims to create new business models that strike a good balance between business and environmental protection.

The EBM study group will hold an Environmental Business Contest in September 2004. This contest aims at the promotion of the idea that environmental and business activities can go together, the development of human resources working in environmental management, and the establishment of environmental venture businesses.

The number of environmental student groups has been increasing throughout Japan since the 1990s, and Environment Roderigues, established in 1997 and now consisting of 60 student members, is one of them. Aiming at improvement of the environment, Environment Roderigues has conducted research and surveys of environmental issues from various viewpoints, and proposed new ideas based on their experience and practice to the public. Its activities are supported by the university, by co-op stores of the university, and other local stores. Environment Roderigues hopes to further strengthen the relationships of trust among those partners and the group's members, and to expand its environmental activities based on its members' interests.



Posted: 2004/02/21 11:04:21 AM
Japanese version

TAG Eco-product/Business , Material reduction , NGO/Citizen , Other , University/Research institute