Wednesday February 15, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

stipend's past comments

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stipendOct. 21, 2008 - 12:29AM JST

Will the amount of trash I put out make any difference? Will it reduce from 4 the number of times per week a belching truck rips raw the roads in my neighbourhood? Probably not. I'm sure they don't really need to collect the so called "burnables" twice a week. Do they? Here's what I do anyway:

Tip 1: Refuse garbage at source. Leave some of it with the retailer.

Tip 2: Carry a backpack or similar sized bag wherever you go.

Tip 3: Buy raw food. Processed = packaging (among other things)

Tip 4: Drink big beers!

Have your local sake shop bring over your very own case of beer in 900ml bottles. Let them know and they'll pop by with a new one as soon as you're done. Man, talk about convenient! And on top of that they'll be refilled.

Tip 5: Brew your own beer in the bottles the sake shop guy brought over the last time and save him the trip -but don't tell him because if your brew gets over 1% you'll be breaking the law! -ha-ha-ha.. yeah. Come bust me ;-)

Posted in: What suggestions do you have for reducing the amount of garbage that gets thrown out each day?
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stipendSep. 19, 2008 - 01:53AM JST

http://www.peace-winds.org/en/index.html

Ah, financial statements! Always a good sign. Mission statement, code of conduct. All there. Projects, activities and annual report. Great!

I'm going to have to get to know these people.

Posted in: Japanse NGOs strengthen presence worldwide
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stipendSep. 13, 2008 - 12:12AM JST

Closer to topic.. Along the coast of Ehime in the inland sea anywhere there's easy road or trail access beaches are hideous. It is very disheartening because you can see how nice it could be. There are hidden gems tho. Tiny unspoiled coves and sandy beaches but you really have to look for them and be creative often in getting to them.

Posted in: Volunteers clean up Hokkaido beach
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stipendSep. 12, 2008 - 11:43PM JST

Japan has a very strict recycling system which is maintained not only at a government level but also by local communities.

Recycling is a misnomer in Japan. Burnables go out one day, plastics the next but who is to say they don't go to the same place? Call your city office and see what they're doing. Plastics burn at a higher temperature and they like to control that at the incinerator.

Glass is collected where I am but it's crushed going into truck. Clear glass, blue glass, and any refillable bottles picked up are lost too (think beer and 1.8 sake bottles). But that at least is getting recycled.

There is a huge social stigma and shame handed out by residents to those who don’t do the right thing and dispose of their trash in the correct manner.

Really? I haven't seen it. -Here's to wishful thinking!

Posted in: Volunteers clean up Hokkaido beach
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stipendAug. 29, 2008 - 10:16PM JST

It's an elegant building -and it's a bottle open!

I don't understand why they call Mori "visionary"??

Right! Like first show me the bottle of beer this thing opens!!

Posted in: Mori set to open Shanghai's latest landmark
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stipendAug. 15, 2008 - 11:59AM JST

Keep it high. I'll gladly pay more for produce if the high gas reduces people idling, feet up, sleeping, engines running with abandon.

Hmm.. no change so far..

noborito. So with the return trip that's like an extra 12hrs/yr languishing in your car? Switch to short lattes, mate! You'll likely save as much money and you'll enjoy less stress. :-)

Posted in: Japan pump price down from record high
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stipendAug. 09, 2008 - 01:40AM JST

These suits cost more than $200 I'll guarantee! And China ain't cheap. Been there lately? $15 buys boxer shorts! These days there's better shopping in Japan.

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stipendJul. 31, 2008 - 09:18PM JST

So what is Peace Boat’s efficiency? Donating money, effort, or time to an organization that’s a top issue. Japan Grace gives up nothing.

And why should they? They’ve got this young, energetic, altruistic minded volunteer work force that churns over with every uni grad date (like they say on the farm: there'll always be more in the hopper)

What part of Japan Grace’s bottom line do they make up is what I want to know.

Volunteer? Call it what it is. It’s work in-kind!

I have met plenty of Peace Boaters. Before, during, after their cruise and many speak of disillusionment. Yeah, an experience but not what they were lead on to think it would be.

btw. Peace Boat was detained in New York for safety violations this month by the Coast Guard. A good thing? More time for shopping perhaps. Checked some blogs to see how Peace Boaters #62 are perceiving their present cruise.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601110&sid=aYiiF8kEdmAw

Posted in: Peace Boat encourages grassroots interaction
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stipendJul. 23, 2008 - 12:56PM JST

Grassroots interactions? On PB? LOL! Pay extra for their study program.. they'll have foreign speakers flown in for you. Really. But with anywhere from 300 to 800 people on board tho what are the chances?

It's a cruise ship. Passengers stay in their "bubble" and most of them the whole trip. They have fun but remember, PB is a just for profit business (and personally, one I think is hanging by a thread).

Most PB port calls are NOT two days as this article.. ahem, infomercial incorrectly claims. And unfortunately many of the ports are simply too far from anything to be able to get out and back on your own. But PB has an arranged tour if you pay extra. Until they find better leadership PB is just a business.

Posted in: Peace Boat encourages grassroots interaction
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stipendJul. 22, 2008 - 01:38PM JST

Peace Boat is not what they would have you believe. PB is part of Grace Japan, a tour company.

Most of what they do is shrouded in mystery because they are "a private company." No transparency, no annual report of accounts. This I'm sure keeps a lot of reputable NGO from working with them.

PB sales offices are filled with fresh faced "volunteers" working in exchange for a reduced fare or for some even free passage. Huh.. so much for being altuistic, although that is what does brings a lot of them in. Is everyone an activist? Does everyone worry about Artice 9? Hardly at all in my experience.

PB is the rock bottom of world cruises. The older generation likes it because it's cheap and the ship conveniently is all Japan-centric.

One brochure I collected said:

"Join by (a date) and PB will donate 500 yen to (an environmental group)"

The ticket at that time was 1,000,000 yen!!

Right! Show us how much you care!

Posted in: Peace Boat encourages grassroots interaction