Winners of the "Cool the Earth" Idea Contest
* The organizer of this contest is Eco Business Creation Association and the manager of the web site is NTT Resonant Inc.
Eco Business Creation Association organized and held the "Cool the Earth" Idea Contest. We received 87 applications in total, including 28 in Business Division (domestic), 20 in Governmental System/Policy Division (domestic), 26 in Business Division (overseas), and 20 in Governmental System/Policy Division (overseas). They are from India, the US, Australia, Cameroons, the Philippines, Germany, France, Israel, Kenya and other countries from all over the world. We greatly appreciate your participation in this contest. After an impartial examination, the panel selected the following winners. The prizes will be awarded at Eco-Products 2007 on Friday, December 14, 2007.
Winners
Grand Prize
Governmental System/Policy Division (domestic)
Restraining global warming and promoting health through reducing the amount of meat-eating and total dietary intake
Mr. Tetsuro Mori (Tokyo)
Abstract: By changing our food culture, for example, by reducing animal food like meat, fish and dairy products, and by promoting reduction of the total dietary intake, health problems are solved. At the same time, energy consumption caused by food intake and thus greenhouse gas (GHG) emission are reduced. Although more and more people have been reducing intake based on the belief that decreased dietary intake is good for health and animal eating is not, science behind them is less than clear-cut. If the effect is confirmed by epidemiological and other research, policy changeover and promotion of related business can be expected. For example, if a Japanese skips one meal a week, it is estimated that approximately seven million tons of CO2 can be reduced a year.
Governmental System/Policy Division (overseas)
Personal Carbon Credits
Mr. Avi Blau (Israel)
Abstract: This is a system which equally allocates carbon emission quotas to individuals and allows them to trade the quotas on a personal basis. The purpose of this system is to increase awareness that each individual's lifestyle choices have a large effect on global warming, and to enable them to participate in regional/national systems that provide them with tools and incentives to lower their carbon footprint. This is done by attaching a "carbon price" to each purchase of a service or product that are energy intensive, and setting an upper limit to the purchase of such services/products. Should the individual go over the allowed carbon credit, they can purchase additional credits through a trading mechanism in the open market, much like the CDM mechanism.
Business Division (domestic)
Promotion of the use of electric vehicles by standardizing lithium ion batteries
Mr. Yoshihito Kobayashi (Okinawa)
Abstract: Lack of electric supply stations, the cost of lithium ion batteries and short mileage per charge due to excessively long charging time are problems that inhibit wider use of electric vehicles (EVs). To solve them, 1) development of standardized cartridge-type lithium ion batteries, and 2) conversion of existing gas stations to dual-purpose centers that can collect, charge and mount the cartridges are proposed. To promote the use of EVs, the cartridge shall be internationally standardized to enable plug-in connection, distribution and storage, and existing gas stations shall be enhanced as an infrastructure for EVs. Through these practices, large CO2 reduction can be expected.
Business Division (overseas)
No award
Special Prize from Supporting Company: Amita Award
Establishing Japan's Environment Day and planting trees by elementary/junior high school students
Ms. Yoshimi Kumaoka (Chiba)
Abstract: Establishment of Japan's Environment Day is proposed. This will be the day when people consider the environment of the earth through planting trees. On this day, each individual elementary/junior high school student shall plant a tree nationwide. As the number of trees planted on the day is evident, people become aware of the increase in the number of trees every year. In this way, they can realize how the actual environmental measures are taken and will step forward toward the enhancement of their consciousness. As children plant trees, such occasions will stimulate their parents and other adults. The day and activities will be a trigger to promote CO2 reduction in our day-to-day life.
- Review by the Panel
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Although some said that not many people would be interested in and apply for this first "Cool the Earth" Idea Contest, I was confident that there would be many applications from every corner of the world. In fact, we received more ideas from home and abroad than expected. This may be a natural consequence, considering the fact that deterioration of the global environment is an acute problem. I would like to thank for your participation.
I would like to touch upon each of the award-winning ideas. It is a breakthrough that an idea of reducing the amount of meat-eating and total dietary intake won the Grand Prize. It is an obvious fact that human desire is the cause of every issue on the earth. This proposal, however suggests that another desire named moderation resides in our soul. This is a small flame of hope.
We are encouraged by the idea of personal carbon credits, because we see, in this proposal from outside Japan, an effort to establish a mechanism based on consideration for others as well as spirit of self-sufficiency human beings innately have.
The business model of standardized cartridge-type lithium ion batteries shows clear shift from possession to shared use. It is a realistic and easy-to-understand proposal and we feel great sympathy with it. It also suggests that we have a problem of where we should seek electric power energy from and that we should not look away from the contradiction that technological innovation might further increase consumption.
We are proud that we have obtained a wide variety of proposals in spite of the fact that this was the very first time. We look forward to receiving many more ideas next time.Ryoichi Yamamoto, Member of the Panel
Award Ceremony
Date/Time: 11:00 to 11:45 on Friday, December 14, 2007
Venue: Eco Communication Stage at the Eco-Products 2007 (in the East Exhibition Hall of the Tokyo Big Sight)
"Cool the Earth" Idea Contest
Overview: http://eco.goo.ne.jp/topics/cooltheearth/english/
Entry Guidelines: http://eco.goo.ne.jp/topics/cooltheearth/english/apply.html
- * For inquiries, contact:
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Shiro Hosojima, Japan for Sustainability (supporter of contest)
E-mail: cooltheearth@japanfs.org
(for inquiries or information in Japanese, contact Etsuko Kobayashi, "Cool the Earth" Idea Contest Office, c/o Amita Corporation.
28 Banchi, Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0075 Japan
E-mail: cool-the-earth@amita-net.co.jp)