New Campaign Puts Households on a 'CO2 Diet'

A group of Japanese ministries and other bodies launched a global warming prevention campaign in August 2004 based on a "CO2 Reduction Declaration," in which people can easily participate at home. The planning committee for the campaign includes the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Japan Center for Climate Change Actions and others, and its secretariat is based within Tokyo Electric Power Co.

This campaign encourages people to save energy at home by indicating the effects in concrete figures for the use of electricity, gas and gasoline. The amounts of cost savings and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction are shown on the declaration form. Applications for participation are accepted via fax and the web site (http://www.co2diet.jp, Japanese only). Participating parties such as schools, kindergartens, non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, companies and local governments will receive one tree seedling per 20 people if that number or more join the campaign as a group.

Japan's emissions of CO2, one of the gases that cause global warming, have increased by over 20 percent from the fiscal 1990 levels in the household and transport sectors, so households are seen as one sector that must to reduce emissions. Through the activity, the committee hopes to get public support to spread energy efficiency at home and promote more greenery.

http://jccca.org/content/view/1058/620/

Posted: 2004/12/03 12:24:42 PM
Japanese version