Greenz.jp: Blog Action Day About Climate Change

Blog Action Day 2009 in Japan: over at Greenz.jp we did several stories. Here is a quick review!

Ecogroove wrote about Renewable Hydrogen, an exciting concept for those of you who are interested in energy issues, as society must be moving away from fossile fuels. The Renewable Hydrogen Network is a non-profit group that wants to explore the possibilities of hydrogen in a sustainable way:

RH2 means hydrogen generated using clean methods such as electrolysis of water by means of renewable energy. If we create a society where its energy source is based on RH2, energy (electricity, fuel, heat) can be produced, supplied, and consumed in any part of the world as long as there is water. Then, there will be fewer conflicts over limited resources, distortions created by the centralized social structure, and environmental destructions. Once the discord in our society is removed, we would be able to redefine our connection with others and restore our sense of community.

Kumagaya-san wrote about Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, where the city has introduced a congestion charge system to reduce CO2 emissions. Clearly, Japan could do the same, and get great results. Instead, the new government seems to be more interested in promoting a toll-free highway policy. Hmm?

Ishimura-san wrote about Youtube and Google’s efforts to raise awareness, with the video of how Earth might look in 2100, if we don’t get our act together and agree on a post-Kyoto deal to decrease emissions… You can add your own video to the Youtube COP15 website!

At Greenz.jp we like new media, and every effort to get more people involved.

Pero (a.k.a Yamamoto-san) took the opportunity to introduce the TED talk by Carolyn Steel to our Japanese readers, with a focus on food security and agriculture. Climate change may cause irreparable damage to ecosystems, including rice farming in Japan, and as Pero highlights, food production is a major source of GHG emissions (especially if you eat beef from cattle, but also due to transportation).

Every day, in a city the size of London, 30 million meals are served. But where does all the food come from? Architect Carolyn Steel discusses the daily miracle of feeding a city, and shows how ancient food routes shaped the modern world. Understanding the flow of food will help us reconnect with what we eat.