According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, roughly 30% of food is wasted globally each year. Food waste occurs at various points in the food supply chain, including during production, retail and consumption. On...
Koji might not be well known outside of Japan, but this fermented agent is used to make popular Japanese food such as miso, soy sauce and sake. Kyushu-based koji company Kawauchi Genichiro Shoten invented technologies to turn food waste into...
The city of Amsterdam adapted the theory of doughnut economics for its post-pandemic recovery in April 2020. Kate Raworth, the inventor of doughnut economics, downscaled the model to provide the city with a “city portrait” that illustrates...
Doughnut economics is an economic model developed by Kate Raworth, who uses a doughnut as a metaphor for the framework of human prosperity. The hole of the doughnut represents the proportion of people that lack access to the essentials of life such...
After experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, Sendai-city in Miyagi prefecture has been working on creating a disaster-resilient and environmentally-friendly city. To do so, Sendai is strengthening city infrastructure and spreading...
Companies that specialize in disposable hygiene products are at the forefront of Japan’s progress toward adopting circular economy approaches. With the largest proportion of elderly adults in the world, Japan is experiencing an increasing amount of...
The first mobile phones were designed to be solely communication tools. Over time, technology has advanced and transformed how mobile phones are used today. Smartphones today also serve as our wallet, camera, planner and diary. They carry a lot of...
In Japan, waste disposal is managed at a municipal level. As in most Japanese cities, residents of Kamikatsu are responsible for sorting their household waste, but this town has 45 categories of garbage. Kamikatsu is a small town of 1,500 in Shikoku...
According to a 2018 report issued by the Ministry of Environment, 25% of Japan’s plastic waste is recycled. 57% goes through thermal recycling, which involves incinerating the waste to produce heat and electricity. Another 18% is either incinerated...
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showcased its new blueprint for circular economies, the “Circular Economy Vision 2020” report, with the aim of creating a virtuous cycle between the environment and economic growth. The report outlines the...