October is 3R Promotion Month. With the theme of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, it is a month when individuals and companies raise their environmental awareness. We invited Moena Neuhaus, representative of No Plastic Japan and navigator of J-WAVE's STEP ONE, and Genki Nakamura, representative of the NPO 530 (Zero Waste), to talk with Scott Megumi, representative of The POW BAR, about the plastic problem, environmental efforts, and the future.
*Titles are omitted throughout the interview.
--- Please tell us briefly about your activities.
Moena Neuhaus (hereinafter Moena) : Since I moved from the UK to Japan in 2016, I have noticed the difference in how waste is handled between here and Europe, especially plastic waste and the throwaway culture, so in 2018 I launched the stainless steel straw brand "Nopla No Plastic Japan" as an alternative to plastic straws. Currently, I propose environmental conservation activities and actions that can be easily incorporated into everyday life, and spread the word about them through various media.
Genki Nakamura (hereafter, Genki) : I work for an NPO called "530" and we aim to create a zero-waste society. We started by focusing mainly on the plastic problem, and we hold an event on May 30th as "Zero Waste Day" to raise awareness. We are also currently working on an upcycling project for "Bread," a craft beer made from bread crusts that tend to end up as food waste, and are also working on food and environmental protection initiatives.
Scott Megumi (hereinafter Megumi) : I have obtained "Plastic Negative Certification" through the Evergreen Bar brand "POW BAR" and support the activity of recovering several times the amount of plastic used in the production process from nature and recycling it properly. I want companies and consumers to think about and act on environmental activities, so I am working on what I can do now.
--- Please tell us how you are mindful of plastics and recycling in your daily life.
Moena : I try not to accept plastic bags when I go shopping, and I bring my own cup to cafes to avoid using plastic cups as much as possible. I think it's the accumulation of small things in everyday life that's important. I also try to choose paper-based products as much as possible. Of course, paper is not necessarily the best for the environment, but I still try to be conscious and choose products that are environmentally friendly.
Megumi: Certainly, when you have a choice to make, you want to choose the best option possible.
Moena : Yes. For example, if there is an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic, I think it's worth paying the money as an investment in the future, even if it's more expensive. Even with vegetables, I want to prioritize those that are grown with consideration for the cultivation method and the environment. I recently used a recycling system called "Loop" for the first time, where you return the container you're done with and it is reused semi-permanently. It was more expensive than regular shopping, but I bought it because I wanted to support this kind of initiative.
Genki: I try not to accept plastic as much as possible. But I noticed something recently. I have a subscription to a local coffee shop, and even if I bring my own bottle, if I order in advance on the app, they make it in a cup.
Moena: I've had the same experience! Even if you try to get it bottled on the spot, it's pointless if it's already in a cup.
Genki: That's right. I think, "If they had waited a little longer, they would have poured it into my bottle." I'm sure there are more ways to reduce waste.
Megumi: It's true that if you prioritize saving time, problems like that will come up. Pow Bar also runs a cafe, and we offer discounts to customers who bring their own cups, and we use titanium or bamboo straws instead of plastic straws. We have a lot of overseas customers, so maybe their awareness is different, but the rate of people bringing their own cups is high. I think it's important to continue these small efforts.
Genki: Speaking of which, I recently saw a system at a cafe I often go to that said, "If you use a paper cup, it's an extra 50 yen." But when I actually used a paper cup, I was charged an extra 50 yen, and I felt really annoyed that I'd lost out. So I thought, "Next time, I'll definitely bring my own cup." I think the desire to avoid losses is stronger than the desire to gain something. I thought this system was very effective.
Megumi: That's a good idea! I might try it at my cafe next time.
---You all have children. What are your thoughts on plastics and recycling from the perspective of raising children?
Moena : After my child was born, I couldn't be as strict as I was before. I was very careful not to use plastic every day, and avoided disposable products as much as possible. But when I started raising a child and had less time, I started to relax that awareness a little. For example, there were more issues that were difficult to avoid, such as diaper waste and individually wrapped snack packaging. When it became a daily occurrence, I started to think that there was no point in blaming myself.
When I started No Plastic Japan, the main focus was on encouraging individuals to make eco-friendly choices and introducing environmentally conscious stores, but I started to hit a wall and realized that I couldn't be more thorough. There is also the social system, and it is difficult to change the whole thing by myself. So now I've started to pay more attention to changes in companies, society, and politics.
Genki: I had a similar mindset to Moena-san. At first, I was very strict and all I was interested in was environmental issues, but maybe that put pressure on those around me. Even though I was aware of my own contradictions, there were parts where I was forcing myself.
As I continued my activities, I realized that there are things I can do, things I can do even if it means pushing myself, and things I just can't do. Since then, I've gradually become more flexible. I think it's not good not to do what I can do, since I'm the one who's sending out the message, so I try to do that. However, I've also come to think that the parts I can't do are "unavoidable."
Megumi: I was thinking the same as Moena. When you have children, you can't avoid producing waste. I thought about switching to cloth diapers, but when you're working, you don't have time to wash your hands, and I often feel that it's difficult in reality. It's really difficult to know where to draw the line.
I try to make eco-friendly choices where I can, and accept that there are things I can't do. But I still want to make choices that are environmentally conscious where I can. For example, when it comes to toys for our children, my husband and I have decided to try not to buy plastic toys as much as possible. The reason is not just for the environment, but also because I don't want my children to come into contact with plastic too much. Considering the impact of microplastics, I want to choose toys made from natural materials as much as possible.
Moena : I understand that, but when the inevitable happens, you can't help but think about it.
Megumi: That's right. I can't avoid the waste that inevitably comes out, like diapers, so I feel there's a contradiction there. But I've realized that it's difficult to aim for perfection, so I try to find what I think is important and think about what I should choose and what I should give up. I think that this way of thinking is important, especially when it comes to raising children, so as not to push yourself too hard.
Genki: That's true. I also feel that my understanding of what I can and can't do and how I deal with it has gradually changed me.
--- Do you talk to your children about the plastic problem?
Megumi: Actually, I'm thinking about that very thing right now and I was really wanting to hear Moena-san and Genki-san's thoughts!
Moena : I'm sure it's something that worries everyone. We've started talking about it a little bit recently at home. If anything, we talk more about climate change than about plastic itself. One day it was really hot, and that prompted me to explain to my child, "The reason it's so hot is because we're producing so much garbage." I explained it in a way that was easy for my child to understand, like how it's because we use heat to process garbage, which is the cause of the heat.
Megumi : I see, so you start talking to children about environmental issues that they can really relate to.
Moena : That's right. Since then, my daughter has gradually become more conscious of not throwing away things that can be used and not buying things that she doesn't need. She's only four years old, so she doesn't make many decisions on her own, but I hope that by sharing my thoughts with her in our daily lives, she will be influenced little by little. Recently, even if she asks me to buy something, I can get her to understand by saying, "I don't want to buy this because I already have the same thing at home."
Megumi : How about you, Genki? Do you talk to your children about environmental issues?
Genki : Hmm, it's difficult. I often worry about how to convey it and how much I should say. Rather than explaining it as education, I tend to talk about more basic things like "Let's not produce trash." I don't go into too much detail, but I focus on "Let's pick up trash" rather than "Let's get rid of trash." I actually pick up trash as a family.
Megumi : It's like teaching through actual action!
Genki : Yes. I want to naturally convey the idea that "it's better not to produce waste." It's not perfect, but I think it's important to convey the importance of continuing to use daily necessities. Even plastic products can last a long time if used properly, and they also have safety benefits. I have plastic cups and dishes in my house that I've been using for years, and if they break, we can just recycle them. I want to convey the importance of continuing to use things that can be used.
--- I think it will be very difficult to completely eliminate plastic from our lives, but how do you think it is important for us to deal with plastic going forward?
Moena : I think we need more rules for manufacturing. In today's society, we can make anything with any material, without any restrictions. That's why I think that manufacturers need standards to ensure they don't have a negative impact on the environment.
Genki : I also think we need to think about the "natural lifespan" and "psychological lifespan" of things. Clothes are a particularly easy example to understand, but we often replace them with new ones as soon as we get tired of them. As a result, many things don't last long and end up not being used. No matter how much recycling technology advances, the problem of too many things being recycled remains. That's why I think we need to slow down the rate of consumption. I think that producing and consuming in moderation will lead to a healthier state.
Moena : Yes, consuming the right amount is important.
Genki : For example, in the past, people in Japan only ate small amounts of meat. Now, however, we consume a lot of it, and the excessive amount of animal-based food is causing greenhouse gas emissions and many other environmental problems. We need to think more carefully about our overall consumption, such as the importance of eating a balanced diet of vegetables as well.
Megumi : It's the same with plastic products. I think it's important to think about how to use them for a long time.
Genki : I think that's exactly right. It's the same with my bags and bottles. I think it's important to use one thing for a long time, rather than buying a new one because you're tired of it. Of course, recycling technology and ideas are important, but as long as the number of things keeps increasing, the amount to be recycled will also increase. That won't solve the problem. That's why it's important to keep to the appropriate amount, and I feel that if we don't do that, recycling won't keep up.
Megumi : In the food industry, we often use film for packaging, but even if the film appears transparent, it actually has many layers. I was really surprised when I heard that most plastic films cannot be recycled and can only be burned. I also realized that many people don't know this fact.
If we want to think about a brighter future, I think education is also very important. I think it's necessary for the next generation of children to know more about the current state of garbage and food issues as they grow up. I think that this will be the catalyst for changing the future. If more people understand the current problems and think, "This isn't good, we need to change this," and act, I think the day will come when this becomes the norm. If these issues are discussed more in educational settings and an environment is created where they can be taught, I think not only Japan but the whole world will change.
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In this discussion, the common consensus was the importance of environmental activities that can be easily incorporated into daily life, and the approach of "continuing to do what you can." Rather than always striving for perfection, we can surely have a big impact on the future by making as many small environmentally friendly choices as possible. There are many things that can be put into practice right away, such as carrying your own cup or using recycling systems. Along with individual efforts, changes are also necessary in companies and society as a whole, such as reviewing the rules for manufacturing and consumption, but I think that if each of us continues to do what we can every day, it will be a sure step towards making the future better.
