How This Town Produces No Trash | Tokyo
Information | History | View | Sightseeing | Video
Watch the next episode about Lauren Singer, who produced only a jar's worth of trash in 2 years: http://bit.ly/1QsnSqu Subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/c/seekerstories?sub_confirmation=1 In 2003, the local government in Kamikatsu, Japan decided to require that all residents comply with a new, rigorous recycling program - perhaps the most rigorous in the world. Since then, the town composts, recycles, or reuses 80% of its garbage. It may not technically be 100% zero waste, as the remaining 20% goes into the landfill, but it's a remarkable achievement for an entire community, in such a short amount of time. The impacts have been positive - cutting costs for the community drastically, as well as improving the conditions of the lush and beautiful environment that surrounds the town in Southeast Japan. Residents must wash and sort virtually anything that is non-compostable in their household before bringing it to the recycling sorting center. Shampoo bottles, caps, cans, razors, styrofoam meat trays, water bottles...the list goes on and on (literally) into 34 categories. At the sorting center, labels on each bin indicate the recycling process for that specific item - how it will be recycled, what it will become, and how much that process can cost (or even earn). It's an education process for the consumer. All kitchen scraps must be composted at home, as the town has no garbage trucks or collectors. And as for other items, reuse is heavily encouraged. According to Akira Sakano, Deputy Chief Officer at Zero Waste Academy in Kamikatsu, the town has a kuru-kuru shop where residents can bring in used items and take things home for free. There is also a kuru-kuru factory, where local women make bags and clothes out of discarded items. At first, it was difficult to be come accustomed to the new rules. "It can be a pain, and at first we were opposed to the idea," says resident, Hatsue Katayama. "If you get used to it, it becomes normal." Now, it's even being noticed within Kamikatsu's businesses. The first zero-waste brewery has opened in Kamikatsu, called Rise and Win Brewery. The brewery itself is constructed of reused materials and environmentally friendly finishes. By 2020, Kamikatsu hopes to be 100% zero waste, with no use of landfills, and to forge connections with other like-minded communities in the world, spreading the practice of zero-waste. Join the Seeker community! Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeekerNetwork Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Seeker-Network/872690716088418?ref=hl Instagram: http://instagram.com/seekernetwork Tumblr: http://seekernetwork.tumblr.com App - iOS http://seekernetwork.com/ios App - Android http://seekernetwork.com/android Executive Producer: Laura Ling Producer: Paige Hansen Cinematographer: Irene Carolina Herrera Editor: Lee Mould
Comments
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I wish I lived in that village. So kind. So calm. They care of each other as a core value. Nice way to live.
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they should have stores that are bulk for food or farmers markets and sustainable grocery bags and jars to hold products this could be the next step
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Only in japan...
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I am from the Northeast of Brazil, an architecture student and I really liked to hear this. Is there any e-mail you can give me so I can contact any of these people which are involved in this program???
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To reduce my waste I started by only putting one trash can in the house, so everytime I want to put something in the trash it's atually more efforst than recycling or composting. It also allows me to be aware of what I throw away which allows me to make zero waste swaps!
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Is there a capitalistic version of this?
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Stop being better at everything Japan geez
(lol jk)
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If they can do it, so can we!
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My faith in humanity was restored.
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I love to stay in this type of places.....inspiring
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Interest to learn about Trash Management there, Greetings from Indonesia.
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This is so inspirational! Something we should all strive towards
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This is amazing!!!!
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Awesome!!
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Going vegan is the best way to reduce your environmental impact. Not a lot of people know this. Watch the documentary COWSPIRACY and you will understand.
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No
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the world needs this ASAP
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Short answer: It doesn't...
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I'm Headed to Kamikatsu
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Subbed