Through consistent efforts to reduce environmental load in each home and by making it a habit, it becomes possible to practice what is learned at school and work in daily life, and to apply the wisdom of life gained at home in activities at school and work. It is hoped that such changes in conduct at home will spread to other actors in society through each family member.

## Section 3 Initiatives at Schools

To build a sustainable society, it is extremely important to carry out the environmental education of children who bear the destiny of our future. Schools play a significant role in fostering environment-minded people, who can take a lead in making a better society with responsible behavior and a correct understanding of the relationship between humankind and the environment.

Simply having knowledge about the current situation and causes of environmental problems is not sufficient. You must also be able to translate knowledge into concrete actions. This ability is believed to be cultivated by repeating the process of experiencing, feeling, and understanding through experiential learning. Environmental education should therefore be based on experiential and practical activities in nature and everyday life.

Fukae Primary School in Nijo-cho, Fukuoka Prefecture, conducts classes aimed at raising “awareness of the way of life” through “awareness of rich local nature,” thereby fostering an attitude of cherishing the environment. In FY 2004, fifth graders learned to “think about the waterside environment for people and living things in Fukae.” The children went to the local sea and river and learned that many living things inhabit these areas and how domestic wastewater is polluting these environments. This experience brought forth the desire to “clean the sandy beach which functions as a filter of water pouring into the sea,” and the students held exchange activities with the local people, proposing solutions. They also became eager to take the initiative to do whatever they could. They prepared posters and leaflets to promote the conservation of river water quality and installation of household wastewater treatment facilities, and cleaned up the beach. In all stages of learning, from field survey, exchange activities, to actual improvement of the environment, what they learned from “experience” was driving concrete actions.

Survey of living things in the river

Photo: courtesy of Fukae Elementary School, Nijo-cho, Fukuoka Prefecture

## Section 4 Corporate Initiatives

Today, amid increasing environmental load caused by regular business activities, companies are major force driving economic activities. Thus, it is vital that companies incorporate environmental considerations in all aspects of their business activities. Moreover, as companies can possibly contribute to solving environmental problems through development of new technology for environmental conservation, it is also hoped that companies take initiatives to make full use of their abilities.

Corporate efforts in environmental conservation are not confined to just observing the laws and regulations. There are many examples of companies adopting environmental conservation measures as their social responsibility or focusing on environmental conservation as one of their most important business strategies. Such voluntary efforts are producing various positive results.

For example, according to a survey by the Ministry of the Environment, approximately 57.1% of all companies have voluntarily initiated efforts to reduce their $ CO_{2} $ emissions. Efforts in the fields of environmental business and the development of environment-friendly products have remarkably improved the resource and energy saving performance.