For “Low−Carbon Society” by Changing Citizens’ Behavior
MarikoHanada

OSAKA SANGYO UNIVERSITY

The role of household sector on CO2 emission is not small in Japan. Though the ratio ofCO2 emission of household sector amount to over 20% of all, it keeps increasing and cannot be
reduced without changing of individuals’ manner and behavior. Then, how could we makeindividuals behave environmental-consciously?
For changing individuals’ manner and behavior in daily life environmental-consciously,
there are key factors such as;①Sense of Crisis: we exactly confront a global environmental crisis②Sense of Responsibility: our conventional mass consumption/waste lifestyles is to blame③Confidence in Effect: changing lifestyles will really improve global environment④Proper measures of practice: tools to make effectiveness of our practices visible easily⑤Motivation for practice: find the appropriate incentives for each individual

There are two effective drive forces to change individuals’ lifestyle; to cultivate awarenessfor environmental value and to change social systems.
First, “environmental education” develops key factors ① , ② , and ③ . As a result,individuals begin to have interests in environmental values and begin to check their lifestyles
with environmental axis. Then, if they have key factors ④ and ⑤, they might behave
environmental-consciously in their daily lives. From my research, main reasons of not tobehave environmental-consciously are “not to know what they should do” and “believe thatone person’s action is limited and meaningless”. Environmental education and tools forevaluation of individuals’ own behavior can change their wrong believe. Actually, there aresuch tools in Japan. One example is “environmental household account book” made by localgovernments、companies、and citizen groups. We can calculate the amount of CO2 emission ofhousehold just by filling in the amount of usage of energy and water on the web. We canevaluate our environmental performance with amount of CO2 emission using “check list ofeco-life”. As information for decision-making, visualization of our daily lives is very important.
Additionally, the change of social system is necessary. For example, new tax system pricing
to an environmental load, such as the amount of CO2 emission, motives consumers topurchase low-carbon products and motives companies to design/produce/sell low-carbon
products. Social systems which reward the decision with environmental axis accelerate
individuals’ behavioral changes.
At the same time, the experiences of participation in pleasant projects, which people preferto join, strengthen ties in the participants among the community. Examples of such projects
are “Environmental Learning Project to support children’s environmental activities in
Nishinomiya City”, “Nanohana(Bio-Diesel-Fuel) Project to make buses run by BDF made fromrape blossoms in Osaka Prefecture”, and “Mission Uchimizu, sprinkling water by hand, toremind Japanese old custom”.
In conclusion 、 I carry on a campaign, environmental-consciousness is ”Economical 、Fun-to-do、and Ethically”. The mass media could make the consensus that ecological lifestyle
is comfortable, kind of “Cool earth is so cool!” .
Overall, to move many individuals, positive manner is important.

Not “DON’T”, But “LET’S DO!”