NATURE & CULTURE
Understanding environment through culture, UEHIRO×WASEDA Seminar series

A glass of wine can change the world

Title: A glass of wine can change the world

A glass of wine can change the world

Yes, we can change the world, if we change our daily food and drink.
You may think I’m a dreamer.
But I hope someday you will join us.

Beau Paysage
Eishi Okamoto

グラス1杯のワインで地球が変わります。

そう、食べ方や飲み方で地球は変わるのです。
そんなの夢に話だとあなたは思うかもしれません。
でもいつかあなたも私たちと一緒に
歩き出してくれるのを願っています。

Beau Paysage
岡本英士

Eishi Okamoto is an organic wine producer.
The move toward organic is taking off in sake/wine market.
Eishi Okamoto noted “I support the movement and am glad that more alcohol producers are joining the conversation on sustainability”

When we were introduced to this wine at a restaurant in Kamakura, the owner explained that “We as consumers, need to be aware of our consumption power. What we choose to buy, to eat and to drink will inevitably have impacts on our ecosystem. When we endorse a certain brand and choose to buy from it, it also means that we are acknowledging their business practice, human labor conditions and its impacts on environment”.

We all need to be conscious consumers. Before buying something, we should take a step back and think how it was made, how it was delivered to the store and its impacts on environment. And think if there’s any better options in terms of environmental sustainability.

We can change the world by being a conscious consumers.
Perhaps, it can start from a glass of wine.

岡本英士さんはオーガニックのワイン醸造家。
お酒/ワイン市場でもオーガニックへのムーヴメントが広がっています。
岡本さんは「このムーヴメントに賛同しますし、アルコール業界がサステイナビリティの役を担えるのはすばらしいことです。」とコメントしています。

このワインを私たちが鎌倉のとあるレストランで紹介されました。
レストランのオーナーの方がこのワインについての説明を次のようにされていました。

「私たち消費者として、消費者の力について気を遣わなければいけません。買うもの、食するもの、そして飲むもの、それぞれ必ず地球の環境に影響しています。商品を買うという事は、その会社のビジネス理念、労働環境、環境への配慮に賛同するという事です。」

消費者としての力を意識しましょう。
購入する前に、それはどのように作られ、どのように食卓に届けられ、環境にどのような影響を与えるのかを。そしてより良い選択肢はないのか。

消費者としての力を意識する事で地球が変わります。
それはグラス1杯から始めることができますね。

“Effect of Typhoon Hagibis to the Environment based on People’s Reaction towards Emergency Responses”

On October 19, 2019, Tokyo was in complete standstill, anticipating the effects of Typhoon Hagibis, the strongest typhoon to hit Japan in years. Groceries and convenience stores were wiped out; trains remained empty or were suspended; no one dared to leave the safety of their homes. In response to this, Tokyo and its wards issued emergency warnings to all citizens in Japan. However, my group and I questioned these emergency warnings and their effectiveness, especially towards foreigners. Recently, foreigners living in Japan have been increasing every year, yet we noticed that Japan – although trying – cannot adjust as fast as they are coming. The following are the summarized responses […]

Kamakura grows

After a first article describing our experience of Mr Wada’s Atelier Kitchen, some of us wrote a reflection on how agriculture should be done today. Challenges such as climate change, land loss and the erosion of community sense are tackled in Mr Wada’s community farming. The operation of the farm, built onto a former parking lot, is carried out by a communal agriculture club led by Mr Wada. The day we visited the farm, we got the chance to see a member coming to do some farm work. The main way the local club communicates is via a facebook group. The members share their “farming diaries” to each other on […]

Kamakura eats

On October 27 we went with a motivated group of students to Kamakura. Here we would learn about sustainable and small-scale farming and how to cook delicious food with healthy organic local produce. We set foot in a small shop not far from Ofuna station. Here we were warmly welcomed by Wada-san. Wada-san is a warm, hardworking and innovative individual, who has started his own farm and shop after he was done being the middleman. He used to work for a big company where he worked in-between the producers and the shops. He decided that he wanted to break this cycle of middleman’s and create a business where everything is […]

Lecture Slide of PPT

0408 文化から環境を考える ガイダンス   Here with I attached the PPT of 0408 lecture.

Environmental Awareness Kamakura Interview- Group 4

1170B735-C24B-4483-8C43-D975E383307C   Interview at Waseda University with Daiki Kitahara about Environmental Awareness. Group 4- Environmental Awareness/ Education. by Minami Neeley and Made Ayu Sayaka

Kamakura Interview Questions

Do you think companies should be should be held responsible for the waste created by their products? What is the most frequent garbage that you find yourself throwing away? Which companies do you think are the most responsible for unsustainable packaging? Can you think of any alternatives to plastic packaging used in food/beverage products?

Kamakura Interview Questions Group 4

Group 4: Environmental Awareness (Sub-group Education) Members: Made Ayu Sayaka Nozomi Fujii Minami Neeley Fumika Ikeda Interview Questions: Are you aware of the “trash islands” floating in the sea? What kind of things that school taught you about the environment? What are the environmental policies in your country? How does it differ from Japan’s? (to non-Japanese) What are the environmental policies that you know of in other countries? (to Japanese) How should schools engage in teaching about environmental awareness?  

Kamakura Interview Item

Do you think there is garbage on the beaches? What kind of garbage we can find on the beach? If a garbage on the beach is a recyclable one or not? Can we reuse that garbage.? What kind of impact does the garbage has on local world-life. ?

AFTER FIELDWORK: Comparing Our Societies [Wildlife Group]

1) What do you think are the differences between those who live on Iriomote Island and those on the mainland? Jihyun: “Akiko Kinsei san trusts nature and people [on Iriomote] live according to what they’re giving and don’t fix their problems with artificial solutions. For example, the attitude towards availability of convenience stores and food. People on the mainland adjust their surrounding and people on Iriomote adjust to their surroundings.” Sydney: “Talking of the difference between people on Iriomote and those on the mainland, the former seem old-fashioned and isolated from modernism and don’t feel the effects of tourism that much.” Fia: “People on Iriomtoe worry about the island becoming […]

Group: Wildlife [Questions to Ask]

Here are some relevant themes and interview questions our group members have prepared in order to conduct fieldwork on Iriomote island and learn from local residents: [Upstream] Topic 1: What is located upstream and how does it affect the ecosystem? [Food] Topic 2: How does the natural vegetation and wildlife of Iriomote affect local food culture and cuisine? Do organizations such as farmers markets and organic stores benefit the ecosystem? [Mountain Cat] Topic 3: How do local people and the endangered Yama Neko (mountain cat) coexist together? [Ocean] Topic 4: Regarding the Ocean, has there been any big change in the tides in recent years? If so, how does this […]

Traditional Knowledge

What’s special about the Iriomote way of living? What traditional knowledge do you want to pass down to the younger generations? What are the difficulties? How can you integrate traditional knowledge into modern society? – Cheryl, Vanessa, Ayako, Manatsu, Hirono, Talia   Update 1/18/2018 Our group thought about what Iriomote island becoming a UNESCO site would entail and thought that it would be contrary to what Kinsei and Akiko Ishigaki have done to keep Iriomote in its current, primitive state. The basic principles and values of many Iriomote residents would be in opposition to what could become of Iriomote if it became a UNESCO site. While the goals of making […]