Plastic bags should it be, Yes please or no thanks?

By, Uwe Paschen.

 It is that time of the Year once again, where many of us go shopping for the Holiday’s festivities, may we be Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Atheist, Hindu or even Muslim, we all have great celebrations coming up in the next four to twelve weeks.

 From Hanukkah to the Chinese New Year it is the season of great celebrations for all around the Globe. Parties are being held, as well as family gatherings and community events.

 Now, one thing all this has in common is the shopping in supermarkets, Farmer Markets and stores to buy the Gifts, the food and the decorations for the festivities to come.

 This of course does require packaging, and transportation as well as means to get it all from the Stores back home and there comes in a handy little idem called the chopping Bag.

 Now, until 1957, we used to go shopping with our baskets and cloth bags or even little carts we dragged behind us. However, since 1957 we have discovered the plastic bag that made its début in the US and by 1960 had spread around the Globe like a wild bush fire. To the point that by the 1970th it could be fund almost any where on this planet and has been causing major problem ever since.

 Since we discard those "trow away bags" so easily, they can be fund not only on land fields but also along roads, in Rivers, in the Forest and even on mountain pics and in the Ocean. There they cause great harm and kill million of birds, animals and fish that are trapped in them and most of them suffocate. This is no easy way to die or be killed what so ever.

 We discard about 1.5 Million Tons of Plastic bags each Year and most of this around the Holidays shopping time. Keep in mind that it takes 220 Million litres of Oil to produce those bags every year and this is not counting the additional energy cost for transportation and recycling or land fields. There are 4 to 5 Trillion Plastic bags used every Year, enough to engulf the entire City of New York so you would not even be able to see the tallest buildings any longer. And this with just one Years plastic bags waste.

 North America accounts for 60% of all this plastic bags waste and Europe for 20% the rest is more or less divided around the World evenly with Africa having the lowest share of plastic bags being used of all continents.

 Now even though we have recycling facilities and program in some Nations, Fact is, unfortunately, that only 0.6% is being recycle, the remaining 99.4% end up in lad fields as well as in the Oceans ad Nature at large.

 We could do with out and go back to Shopping baskets, Cloth bags and little carts we can easily pull and taken just about any where, some of those are so compact and easy to fold that they fit in a bag. It may be time to Refuse plastic bags given out to us and to ask to use our own cloth bag in stead. Leading by example for a better future for all living creatures on Earth.

 These Holidays do think twice about using a plastic bag and with the New Year around the corner, it may be a great time for an Eco resolution, not to ever use plastic bags again. There are some great cloth bags and carts, that even look sharp and would get you some positive attention as well.

 Happy Eco Friendly Holliday’s.

See Sources below.

 Food and Water Watch, 

garbage for food.

National Tap Water Database.

fact sheet on bottled water.

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1499

Think twice about taking a plastic bag if your purchase is small and easy to carry. Keep canvas bags in your home, office, and car so you always have them available when you go to the supermarket or other stores. Ask your favorite stores to stop providing bags for free, or to offer a discount for not using the bags. Encourage your local politicians to introduce legislation taxing or banning plastic bags.

Try to go at least one week without accumulating any new plastic bags. If every shopper took just one less bag each month, this could eliminate the waste of hundreds of millions of bags each year.

http://www.bpiworld.org/

Japan is fighting to survive.

It has been five days since the massive earthquake of a magnitude of 9.0 on the RS or 7 on the Japanese scale that struck us here in Japan. Since then many smaller aftershocks where felt some of which where strong enough by them self.
Their epicentre is changing even though most after shocks are still coming from the original epicentre many strong aftershocks are now being emitted in the kanto Chiba area.
This is viewed by some of the experts as a sign that we may witness another major earthquake such as the 1923 earthquake that devastated Tokyo.
However, this does not seem to be the main worry for most here at the moment, since we are already dealing with food shortages and gas stations are still out of gas leaving many stranded.
Furthermore, it is still winter and even for those that still have a house or apartment to call their own, it is difficult to stay warm when there is no gas or fuel available any longer and when electricity is scarce as well. Especially in the rural areas where outages are more frequent then they are in the larger cities.
We just got electricity back three days ago in our area and this only for a couple of hours every day. Many areas do not even have a few hours of power though.
Rice is still around, but it is impossible to buy bread milk or other foods we once took for granted. Still, even when one has rice, it can be difficult to cook this with out stoves, fuel, or electricity.
Most are living on the edge of what they can handle, especially emotionally. The main fear is our nuclear power plant that seems to become a hopeless cause, the news from that one seems to get worth by the day, to the point that the Prime Minister made an announcement, advising all to remain indoors and to avoid outside air or rain in order to minimise radiation exposure. The government handed out Potash Iodine pills to those closest to the nuclear power plant, trying to combat the negative effects of radiation poisoning. It shows the helplessness of government and experts who try to keep all calm and want to avoid to create panic which may make things even worth.
But all know here that this may end up getting a lot worth then the initial earthquake and tsunami where. Still, even though nervous and stressed most try their out-most to remain calm and serene in order to keep the children hopeful and ease their fears.
For the past two day all the school could give their students for lunch was some pudding and a piece of processed cheese with a  200 ml carton of milk. Food has to be rationed now and many get nothing more then a small boll of rice with some bouillon to warm them up.
The things we where all so accustomed to, now seem to be a thing of the past and many are realising that things will never be the way they where before the earthquake of March 11 of this year.
News came that the government can no longer control the nuclear power station and that they will abandon it now, still poring water on it in hope to reduce the radiation some what.
A  colleague approached me today, asking if we will still be around next week, I was some what cough of guard and just said "If not, we shall meet again in the next life and remember this one, so we may learn from our mistakes, if there is a next life that is."
The kids and teens are getting restless and some have trouble dealing with the situation at hand, which is comprehensible.
Still, I do admire the Japanese serenity which most maintain no matter the severity of the situation or the devastation they have to deal with.
I suppose all the drills and disciplinary lessons as well as the moral education every Japanese receives through out their school education and even in university do pay off in such a crisis.
So what next? No one knows for certain, but we expect the radiation to rise and we may have to face another important earthquake with in the next few days.
Many foreigners are on their way out since their respective Embassies have started to evacuate their expatriates from Japan.
Even though the Japanese understand and are sympathetic, it certainly does not comfort those that are stuck here.
I believe for my part that running is useless and that we have to do our best to help each other in this crisis what ever may be. This is especially important for those that have already lost everything and find them self totally helpless in this disaster.
All hope that they wont be another explosion at the nuclear power plant and that we wont have to deal with another Chernobyl. Still, we will have to deal with the radiation and the closer one lives to the plant the worth they will be off. Why people should be evacuated as far away from the plant as possible and the radius needs to be extended to at least a 100 km, this however, will be difficult to accomplish in light of the devastation the earthquake has caused and the lack of gasoline we have as well as the restricted electricity, all this makes the transportation of large numbers of people even more difficult then it would be if all infrastructures where operational and even if we would not face a shortage of fuel or electricity we would have a hard time evacuating people far enough from the power plant to be considered safe.
All know the reality of the situation and know that they wont be able to get out, nor avoid what ever may happen. In stead they all face their faith as they have been thought to do, with honour and serenity. One can sense the fear and worries in many, still they smile and remain polite and courteous. Some thing to learn from.
Wile I wrote the previous paragraph, another more serious earthquake hits us, with a magnitude of 6 on the RS.
 or 5 lower on the Japanese scale.
The radio is on all day and every one hopes to hear some good news and maybe some good news will come after all. In the mean time the announcements about the radioactivity have changed from Micro-severs to mili-severs, it does sound some how better even if it ends up being higher in reality, maybe most wont notice that the 1000 micro-severs the government talked about on Saturday are now 1000 mili-severs of radiation emitted. It is all in the way it is presented, a 1000 ml sounds more or worth then 10 litres of poison.

Could Japan become a beacon for the World to follow?

Photos

By, Uwe Paschen.

Is Japan’s change to be a beacon for a World to follow or merely an Isolated move by one bold Nation defying a super power?

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his Party (DPJ) won a historic election in August here in Japan, in part because he called for a review of the 2006 Japanese- U.S. Military agreement. Four DPJ members from Okinawa won parliamentary seats with promises of reducing and even eliminating the U.S. troop presence on the island. 

Denny Tamaki is one of Okinawa's parliament ministers. He says they won because voters believed they could achieve what the previous administration could not. That includes resolving the issue of U.S. military bases in Okinawa. Tamaki wants Futenma's marines and training facilities off the island altogether. In addition, polls show his constituents overwhelmingly support that view.

In a recent poll by one of Japan's national newspapers, nearly 70 percent of Okinawans said they opposed moving Futenma to another part of the island. The same percentage think Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama should negotiate with the U.S. to move Futenma out of the prefecture and the country altogether.


Japan may want the U.S. bases out and stop collaborating with U.S. military endeavours. Japan does however not want to escape its international responsibilities. "Our contribution to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan is great and will increase" as Mr. Fujisaki said, “Yes, We have been number two in the world for reconstructions of Iraq. Number one being United States, of course. In Afghan we are number three.”

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said he wants the U.S. bases to be moved off Okinawa, even out of Japan altogether

Japan's defence minister Mr. Toshimi Kitazawa said Thursday last, that rules governing the U.S. troop presence on Okinawa Island were “humiliating” For Japan. He further stated that “to build a new relationship that meets the requirements of the new era instead of getting mired in fears of offending them,”

The Minister also announced that Japan will cancel the purchase of U.S. Military Jets, specifically the F-35 and look for suppliers out side the U.S. as he said "our choice is wide open to other options, of non-American-made jets.”

Japan’s taxpayers fell that they should no longer have to neither pay for the U.S. bases nor tolerate the U.S. presence that has been continuously increasing in cost since 1948.

Kiroku Hanai, a former editorial writer for a vernacular newspaper, writes that Japan has to stop paying for the U.S. military and force the U.S. to withdraw and close all U.S. bases on Japanese soil.

"Japan is not ashamed of its Pacifistic constitution and its desire to hold on to it."

"Policing the World is not a task for the U.S. or any other supper power, but rather for a strong U.N." Mr. Hatoyama said. He did also evoke that war was not the anther to our international conflicts. 

“My grandfather Ichiro, then Prime Minister, was an advocate of the concept of yu-ai, or "fraternity". This yu-ai is a way of thinking that respects one's own freedom and individual dignity while also respecting the freedom and individual dignity of Others. “

Japan is most definitely moving in a new direction whose signs are clearly laid out by stopping all Military collaboration with the U.S. refueling program and moving the money saved in those military program into Humanitarian aid instead.

Further Japan has send out a clear message to the U.S. and other Western Nations as Japan’s foreign Minister said in October that “Tokyo's new way of contributing to the effort in Afghanistan will be in the form of humanitarian aid, which will include training former Taliban soldiers.”

Japan's new government has vowed to pursue a foreign policy independent of the U.S. and it is clear by now that this is well under way and to be a new reality that may force the U.S. to rethink their own political future that lately seems to look a lot like the former U.S.S.R. once did in 1989.

Ironically, the U.S.S.R. back then was struck by a major economic crisis, a never-ending war in Afghanistan and blessed with a President that received the Nobel peace price.

Japan has send the message, laud and clear, the question remaining, is whether the U.S. will hear it and understand it in time.

So far the U.S. have first mocked the changes in Japan, as the changes seemed to prevail though and proved to be real. The U.S. tried threats as well as fear mongering. Wish started with economic pressures, with Statements such as, 'Japan should align it self with its biggest trading partner', namely the U.S., 'if it wanted to remain part of the top producers', to wish Japan responded with diversification and new trade talks with China and other Asian and European partners.

Then came the North Korean card and fear mongering to wish Japan responded equally elegantly by insisting on continued six party negotiations rather then more confrontation.

The time for supper powers seems to be over and a new era has begun, one whose course is not yet fully shaped. Should we be wise or arrogant  will determine this era’s outcome.

Lets hope we find wisdom and move towards peace and co-operation rather them another power struggle for supremacy.

Japan has chosen peace and co-operation as well as the preservation of our Environment over power and dominance.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091110/afghanistan_japan_091009/20091110?hub=World

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120220315&ft=1&f=10

http://www.visionofhumanity.org/news/125/a-return-to-common-sense/

Tokyo's greatest shame.

Photos

By, Uwe Paschen.

 Tokyo is one of the greatest cities on this planet with some of the best museums, parks and attraction one can imagine, it also has one of the World best universities; an impressive infrastructure and maybe even the best public transport system one could desire.

However, it does also have a great shame that it tries to hide by simply ignoring it.

Today, Tokyo is counting over 5000 homeless according to the NGO's, the government believes them to be between 4000 to 5000 though. A number that has been on the rise since the late 70th and that is increasing at an alarming rate since the World’s latest financial fiasco that started with the Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy in New York.

Japan has been ruled for over two generations almost continuusly since WWII by the LDP or Jimintō (自民党), wish is a conservative party that was last lead by Taro Aso.

Aso and his party where deffeted last August 30th with a land slide by the Democratic Party or 民主党 Minshutō wish is a Social Democratic Party   lead by Yukio Hatoyama, our new Prime Minister.

Yukio Hatoyama has addressed a great number of problems that Japan is confronted with and promised reforms in his election campaign, those, he seems to carry out so far. Never the less, there is one issue he is avoiding with as much determination as did Taro Aso and all their predecessors, wish would be the questions of the Homeless and Unemployed that Japan is being faced with.

Those ever increasing numbers of Homeless and unemployed are only slowed down by the high Suicide rate that Japan knows.

Not unlike in other countries of the industrial world, in Japan, being Unemployed or Homeless is a great shame. One that no one wants to be confronted with for it would mean disgrace and categorize one as lazy and worth in the eyes of Japan’s society and even with once own family and friends. Only in Japan a homeless person is truly ignored by the masses at large.

Why, the homeless are left on their own with out help from the government or the public at large. Few are those that volunteer to help those in need and organize soup kitchens for them or closing. We have about 20 NGO working with the Homeless and the unemployed here in Tokyo and surrounding areas, trying to provide meals and shelters. Those NGO's receive about 90 per cent of their revenue in form of donations from abroad. The aid given by the NGO's is often undermined by the “Guardian Angels”, a paramilitary group of sorts, that is closed in combat pants, boots and military like beret. They are patrolling the streets to keep order and cleanliness on behalf of the "good" citizens and businesses that support them. Those “Guardians” give the NGO’s much grief at times, for they do not want to see those NGO's setting up in their part of town to help the homeless. Ironically, the NGO’s best ally against the "Guardians" are the Yakuza’s also known as gokudō (極道), they do provide a social function along their better know other activities. Of course one does try to stay away from the Yakuza, still every now and then they are the only thing that stands between being able to help the homeless or being hindered by the "Guardians" to do so.

Other groups helping the homeless are off course religious institutions, such as the Christian or Muslim organizations. Those however, have some strings attached to their help, and this in the form of prayers and/or converting to their books, wish does not go over to well in a predominately Buddhist country. Never the less, many driven by hunger and despair will put up with it and temporary convert or recite a prayer for the sake of a meal.

The benefit of the NGO’s is that they do not ask anyone to convert, nor plead once legion to them or their cause. Maybe, why those are better liked and more credible.

The question on many minds is whether or not the new government will come to the aid of the homeless and the unemployed as well as the temp workers that live from one short term contract to the next and in constant fear that they may end up having to live on the streets them self sooner or latter.

Once cough in the vicious cycle it is next to impossible to get back out again, especially as a male. Woman are still helped by their families and friends and are not seen as failures or lazy if they end up in trouble as their male counterparts are. Over 98 percent of homeless are men, making Woman rather the rare exception of the homeless in Tokyo.

In Japan, one needs to have an address in order to seek employment. The trouble is that in order to have an address one needs employment, since any apartment does need to be paid for and rent is far from affordable in Tokyo, a single room/flat, with no more then 20 scare metre, starts at 50,000.00 Yen per month and that would be cheep and only available in the periphery of Tokyo. Once the utilities paid, it usually ends up being more like 70,000.00 yen per month wish equates to $850.00.

Politics and populace do hardly notice the homeless though and this may be part of their trouble. Japan’s homeless are rather quiet and deeply ashamed of them self and their condition, they try desperately to hide their struggle and do what ever they can to appear “normal”, well closed, clean shaved and you will never see any of them beg or ask for help.

They are the shame of Tokyo and they are ignored by all including them self.

The only thing that gives them away is the bag and the blue tarp that they never let go off and carry with them wherever they may go.

In recent years the only once that did protest this condition and tried to organize in order to change It, where the Freitar (See link bellow). Japans, 15 to 45 year old that are mainly temp workers. The Freitars being the temp workers, the unemployed or even those living on the verge of being homeless. Still holding on though, by taking refuge in the Internet Cafés, those cafes offers them a mattress, some resources and access to a computer for networking. All this for 1,000.00 yen per 24 hour ($12.00), this is their last chance to get out before ending up on the streets of Tokyo and facing the Guardians or the Police telling them to vacate the area.

Japans elite and Government are deeply concerned with birth rates, especially in light of having an aging population that by 2015 will translate into 25 percent of people being over 65 years old and by 2050 Japan will be left with 90 Million Citizen from the 127 millions it counts today. A disaster in the making that even new immigration policies wont be able to counter any longer.

The dilemma of the low birth rates is directly related to the homeless crises, wish is being ignored with so much determination.

A lack of social housing, a lack of support and a lack organizations, to help those in need to get back on their feet. Translating into a population that can not afford to have children, since they have no stable employment, this in spite of being highly qualified in many cases. Nor can they afford the existing rates for apartments in Tokyo and even food is extremely expensive to the point that many cannot eat more then a boll of plane rice even though they have a job. Many walls will have to fall before they may be any hope for Japans homeless and its youth. So far even our Social Democratic government has not addressed those issues nor made the connection between all those troubles we are being faced with here in the land of rising Sun.

“地球上のすべての人々が団結し、われわれを隔てる世界中の壁を取り壊す様を想像してごらんなさい。ベルリンの壁の崩壊が、それが可能だと証明してくれた.”

Videos

The Shinjuku Homeless

see larger video 

sourced by mbaumgartner

Japan Silk Farming is rapidly disappearing!

Photos

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By, Uwe Paschen.

I went to Nagano for 3 days to see a Good Friend of mine, There I attended a Silk Farmers meeting that reminded me some of the long Farm Organisation meetings I used to attend in North America. The Problems are similar. Low prises, over production due to free trade with Asia and an ageing Farm population without any one to take over from the next Generation! The average age of the Farmer being 65 years old in some areas. Abandoned Farms States and over grown rice fields in many areas!

I ended up staying with Mister Horiuchi, Shinya, his wife Kitie Horiuchi and my friend Rie, Silk worm Farmer, as well as vegetable Farmers! The Silk Worm being their speciality there are some of the last traditional Japanese Silkworm Farmers operating and alive, since Shinya is already approaching his seventies and the last specialist of the Golden Silk worm, used mainly for traditional Japanese Kimonos, however also for the production of high quality contact lenses and skin replacement in accident victims!

I stayed with them in their village of Nakajo, about an Hour away from Nagano. High in the mountains, where fresh air and fresh water are still abundant.

I saw many abandoned Farms though and bear laying Rice Fields over grown by weeds and the forest taking back the one’s fertile land. Houses falling apart and school Houses being abandoned for lack of children living in the Country side!

The prices of fruits and vegetable slowly rising over the years, due to a lack of local Farmer producing them. I was told that in 10 to 15 years, Japan will no longer be able to supply it’s large city’s with food and have to rely on imports alone, wish for any nation and community is a dangerous thing to be dependent on, making one vulnerable and dependent. Especially with rising fuel cost and more and more transportation and political challenges around the World. Local Food production has always been and still is a key factor for peace and independence. Something that in the euphoria of World trade and Savage Capitalism is largely been ignored and down played. Nevertheless, Capitalism is now reaching its limits and may even collapse in the coming decades, as the Soviet Union did not so long ago! It has been naïve and dangerous of us to believe in exponential growth and disregarding the balance of Nature it self. Our modern society is based on credit and eternal Growth, wish is simply neither Logical nor feasible in the long run!

Unfortunately, we will only learn one’s it is to late since to few dare to see the warning signs and try to rebalance the system, wish will require some major restrictions on our part as consumers and excessive waist producer!

In Nakajo many things are still done the old way, for one Bath water is shared by the whole Family to preserve energy and resources, something I had to learn my self again!

Heat is being used only in restricted areas under a table covert up with blankets and to keep once Feed and legs warm. It is like my Uncles Farm in Germany used to be as I lived there as a Child for a vile! The Kitchen was the only warm place in the whole house! Even the Local stores where rather Cold and people just put on more close and used a small stove that was used to make tea to warm them self up! We need to go back to this type of conservation and let go of fashion trends and excessive comfort and luxuries! Nakajo can get rather cold, -10 or lower is the norm in the winter month, How ever I have not been more comfortable and well of for some time, as I have been in Nakajo! Buddha preached respect and compassion to all living things, whether they are Large or small. We may want to look at his teaching again!

I went to visit the temple in Nagano on my way back to Tokyo and spend sometime meditating there hopping to find the anthers or at least some of them to our global mess, we have managed to make in such a short time!

I will truly miss Nakajo and it’s wonderful people and the good friends I made there, and I hope I may be able to come back some time! Hopping that the Japanese Silk will still be there and well so we may still be able to have traditional Kimonos for many generations to come!

 My stay in Nakajo with The Hiriuchi gave me much to think about! The passion, love and pride Shinia and Kitie had for their work, Farm and history was refreshing to see!

Something I can understand well, since I used to have the same passion, love and pride for my Sheep and our cheeses being made only with the best ingredient. Where the art and the quality of the product become more important than Money and profits!

It is what I Dreamed of for Zurich, motivating a town to make something of it self, involving every one in milking sheep and starting many small farms and a community owned Creamery to produce high quality cheeses. I am still convinced it would have been to the benefit of that Village of Zurich, just has Shinya is persuaded to be able to revive his dying Village and the Silkworm industry! I do hope he will succeed, because I know he does deeply care not only about the Silk, but also about his Village and especially about the people and their future and the next generation especially! What is life without the next generation taking over and being able to live as well as we did!?

Today we think just about profits and our self’s, for the most part any way and especially in the industrialised world of ours. How ever, does it mean anything at all? I think not!

What is life without passion, compassion and Love? Our material world cannot fulfil us or the suicide rates in our large City’s would not be as high as they are!

Our Family values are at the heard of every society and a society with out Family unity and with out Children and with out passion, pride, and Love before profits is doomed

To self-destruct. If it was not for People such as Shinya, Kitie and Rie still struggling to keep values alive, I believe our Post Industrial Material and consumer society’s would already have self destructed! Yet because of these few, they give many other still some hope even though they seem to remain paralyzed has to what they could do!

I am not sure at this point, what it will or would take to motivate people to move and change. To find meaning again as well as pride in what they do and are!

I know since I failed my self at motivating people even though the potential was there as well as the opportunities!

May it be Europe, North America or Japan the problems and symptoms of the illness of those societies are very similar as well as the causes! Soon even China and India will suffer the same fate if we cannot learn nor change and reform our self’s and our society, since we are the problem, how ever we are also the solution if we dare to take the lead!

Maybe repetitively if necessary!!

On the other hand who am I to talk, since I failed to start that flame in my own Children and Community in spite of relentless efforts!

We need to reinstate some sort of balance and values in our out of control system.