Youtube Japan Goes Green


Youtube Japan Goes Green, with videos ranging from nature documentaries to shows about renewable energy, food and other fun stuff that we like here on Kurashi.

Youtube Think Green Channel

Backed by a lot of good people, with NHK and the Youtube channels of United Nations University as well as Asahi.com and National Geographics, this is a media initiative that could reach the hearts and minds of lots of people.

Some videos have English subtitles and could be useful if you are planning teaching environmental topics or sustainability with a focus on Japan. Or, alternatively, exploring this could help you improve your Japanese.

Having said that, I'm not sure Youtube's 5 minute limit is the way to go here.

Many difficult problems require a lot more thinking and thorough explanation.

Here are 2 examples of good reads from the Oil Drum, that would be impossible to summarize (or, ok, go ahead, try):

Herman Daly: From a Failed Growth Economy to a Steady-State Economy

Luis De Sousa: EuroElections 2009: Greens-EFA

Bonus video: Lingerie model Miranda Kerr goes nude and green for Rolling Stones magazine, wants to protect koalas in Australia.

Comments

Pandabonium said…
That's very cool. A youtube clip isn't long enough for a good treatment of a subject, but it is a way to get people's attention and hopefully send them looking for in depth information.

Very cool, except of course for Miranda Kerr - she's hot. ;^)
5:40 pm, June 07, 2009
Unknown said…
Hi Martin,

Thanks for this post. The idea of the Herman Daly video is cool. I would like to try. Will put it on the to do list.

I agree with Pandabonium - video is a way into the subject. It does not really replace a well written article. But it is a way to reach people who don't normally read articles or blogs.

We have tried to balance this by embedding video briefs into longer articles that can be found in the UNU's Ourworld 2.0 webzine - http://ourworld.unu.edu

Anyway, it our efforts to reach as many people as possible on "green" issues, we should use as many available tools as possible.
1:13 pm, June 08, 2009
Martin J Frid said…
Thanks for the comments. One thing I have been wondering about is what role the Internet (and Youtube) will have once the terrestial analogue television is shut down. Let's hope channels like UNU's Ourworld 2.0 will do splendidly.
6:58 pm, June 08, 2009
Tom O said…
Watashi no iken wa, ne... People will just watch their vacuous tv shows but in higher definition, the mind-numbing soma just being better to watch. Or via the internet. Or Youtube. Ooops, there goes my cynical ol' self again! Gomen.

And of course, especially in this country, if you don't watch the latest X Factor/Reality TV/Celeb stuff, well - just what is there to talk about at work the next day?? Here in Brighton/Hove a long leisurely 2-3 hour stroll along the seafront to the Marina would SEEM to be the perfect way to spend a nice summer's evening...
5:19 am, June 10, 2009
Martin J Frid said…
They could make a reality show about the 2-3 hour stroll on the beach, and thousands would watch it!

No need to apologize for being cynical ;)
10:55 am, June 10, 2009
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