KAMIKATSU: THE ECO-VILLAGE

The article is written for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Article link: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-20/kamikatsu-the-japanese-town-with-45-different-recycling-bins/9776560

It starts off by highlighting to Australian readers how a village of 1500 locals in Japan has to sort their waste into 45 categories, in accordance with the village’s goal of producing zero waste by 2020.

 

This article leads the Australian public (and us) to believe that the Japanese people are very environmentally conscious. Their commitment is seen in their meticulous disposal of items like batteries, printer cartridges and toothbrushes and this is likely to be good food-for-thought for Australians.

Several features of this article relate to ideas from class.

First, the article is reminiscent of Kirby’s idea of the profit of recycling. Kirby notes that people are rarely willing to operate at financial loss. He provides the example of Mrs Ishimoto, who experienced a dramatic leap in business after supplementing Tokyo’s environmental efforts. Kirby claims that the environment was a “plain and simple” money-making opportunity for her.

In this article, it has been suggested that Kamikatsu’s town leaders actively avoid incineration as it is 6 times costlier than recycling. They also openly admit that their motivation for recycling is town revenue. This is in line with Kirby’s argument that Japan must provide financial incentives if it wants to enlist the effort of this “unsentimental sector”.

Second, the article reminds us of Kirby’s idea of form over content in the town of Horiuchi. Kirby notes that observance of waste protocols was an important responsibility for every resident of Horiuchi. Community shame can stem from visible infractions, with the end result that residents focus overwhelmingly on things such as having the bags out in time and on making sure that everything is neat and tidy.

While this article does not note such instances, we observe an overt emphasis on form in Kamikatsu. For instance, great care is taken in the Town Waste Station of Kamikatsu, where a station manager oversees (and proudly introduces) 45 different waste disposal categories. It is implicit that how well he does his job will affect how the other villagers perceive him.

Besides, the article makes no mention of the fact that improvements in incineration have become prevalent. We have seen in Kirby’s article that the Shinjuku Ward Waste Office has suggested that Tokyo can now tap on “unburnable” waste collections to turn landfills into artificial, yet useable land.

In light of these revelations, it is uncertain if Kamikatsu residents will still be keen to continue their meticulous recycling practices, especially if they were told that their waste could now be sold for revenue.

Moving on, the article is reminiscent of Kirby’s idea of self-defeating practices. Kirby notes that Japanese teens are thrifty due to their upbringing and not just “self-supporting circumstances”. However, they still engage in intensive practices such as purchasing layered wrapping in the form of store purchases or gifts. Despite being an inherently wasteful practice, this is deemed to be an essential element of courtesy and good breeding.

Likewise, the ABC article is forthcoming in admitting similar anecdotes from Kamikatsu’s locals, who claim that Japan’s love of its “wrapping, decoration and gifting culture” is problematic. The article even claims that worldwide experts fly in to witness Kamikatsu’s recycling methods but it fails to mention the carbon footprints of them doing so. Similar eco-villages in Japan (which participate in international eco-events) justify their footprints by claiming they spread awareness and do so on behalf of people with near-negligible footprints, but this is somewhat debatable.

Finally, the article is reminiscent of Knight’s view that some Japanese people place emphasis on the satoyama for cultural rather than ecological reasons. Although Kamikatsu is not a satoyama, it does try to create the kind of self-sustaining cycle of growth where “nature can co-exist with judicious use of land”.

For instance, Kamikatsu has a Satoyama Club where villagers engage in reforestation programs with the “Forest Masters”. One of the members was formerly a salaried worker who wanted to escape Osaka and experience rural life. We quote her saying she would “simply have left” Kamikatsu if the Satoyama Club had not accepted her, which begs the question of whether eco-sustainability has turned from a lifestyle into a hobby. This is indeed in line with Knight’s view that some people have a nostalgic affinity for the idyllic agrarian past (“satoyama”) rather than the wild nature (“yama”) in Japan.

All in all, we conclude that the sheer inconvenience of the impressive waste disposal process in Kamikatsu can (i) act as an effective deterrent against consumption and (ii) inspire Australians to do the same. However, there are risks of creating the interconnected problems of prioritizing form over content, engaging in self-defeating practices and romanticizing the ecologically sustainable way of life.

(799 Words)

References:

Jake Sturmer. (2018, May 20). “Kamikatsu: The Japanese town working towards a zero-waste goal by 2020”.

Retrieved October 10, 2018, from

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-20/kamikatsu-the-japanese-town-with-45-different-recycling-bins/9776560

 

Kirby, P. W. (2011). Troubled natures: waste, environment, Japan. Honolulu, University of Hawai’i Press: 160-192.

 

Catherine Knight. (2010). The Discourse of “Encultured Nature” in Japan: The Concept of Satoyama and its Role in 21st Century Nature Conservation. Asian Studies Review: 421-441.

 

Brian Williams. (2010). The Worlds of Satoyama: Satoyama, The Ideal and the Real. Kyoto Journal Issue 75 (Biodiversity): 24-29.

 

Kamikatsu’s Satoyama Club.

Retrieved October 13, 2018, from

http://www.1000nen.biz-awa.jp/satoyama-club/index.html

 

Irodori Kabushiki Kaisha (KK), Kamikatsu-cho. (2009, 9 September).

Retrieved October 13, 2018, from

https://www.irodori.co.jp/asp/nwsitem.asp?nw_id=940

 

Mark Notoras & Megumi Nishikura. (2010, 13 August). Mt. Fuji Eco-village Connects to a Greener World.

Retrieved October 15, 2018, from

https://ourworld.unu.edu/en/konohana

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