IDEAS FOR GOODThe plastic-free movement is spreading worldwide at a voracious speed. Various places throughout the world — not just in highly eco-conscious and eco-active Europe — are creating laws to ban plastics. Even more businesses are cutting back on the use of plastic products.
In Japan, the zero-waste wave swept through Shibuya, Tokyo, with Zero Waste Marche project as the catalyst. The project was held at the 100 Banch Street festival on September 16, 2018. Ome Farm and Alishan Organic Center set up this package-free market together.
Ome Farm grows organic Western vegetables and traditional Japanese vegetables in Ome City, Tokyo, about one hour from the heart of the metropolis, with the aim of “making truly safe food in the outskirts of the capital.” Unpackaged fruit and vegetables lined their store. Seasonal specialties like persimmons and chestnuts were on sale, too. Alishan Organic Center runs an organic food brand in Hanno City, Saitama.
The vegetables at Zero Waste Marche were very popular because they were produced without any use of agricultural chemicals or chemical fertilizer. Instead, the vegetables at Ome Farm are produced through expert farming knowledge and leveraging on the power of nature. The eggplants on sale this day are of various shapes and sizes. Even though some sport natural scars, their quality is thoroughly intact.
Five “shinkuro” eggplants cost 300 yen each. In the supermarket where I usually shop, five eggplants from Gunma Prefecture cost 297 yen each. Although the prices are similar, Ome Farm’s vegetables boast the added value of safety.
How can we reduce plastics in Japan?
We asked Ome Farm’s Mr. Ota the very same question. “You can say that plastic is necessary for maintaining freshness for farmers. In our experience, we also deliver vegetables directly to restaurants. Some of them say newspaper is enough, and some want full packaging — it varies,” he shared.
For those of us wanting to reduce plastics as much as we can in our daily lives, what should we do?
Firstly, Ota advises buying “leafy vegetables and others, which are shipped without wrapping.” Such little decisions that each of us make influence society in various ways.
Also, going to farmer’s markets and direct sales outlets and buying fresh vegetables directly from farmers is a good way to cut out plastic. It’s interesting, too, to meet the producers face-to-face and hear their efforts and the stories behind the food you are going to eat.
Busy people can use Ome Farm’s delivery service to have seasonal vegetables sent to them.
Farmer’s markets rallying the cause
In recent years, farmer’s markets have becomed a symbol of local production for local consumption, which has garnered a lot of attention. There’s no question that this consumption style benefits society both environmentally and economically. It helps activate the local economy, and it eliminates the need for packaging to protect products from damage during transportation. There are benefits all around.
Ome Farm wants local people, especially those living in the Tokyo environs, to taste vegetables grown in the great outdoors of Tokyo while they are still fresh. It also believes that having more people learn about Ome City’s vegetables at markets and inner-city restaurants will benefit the local region. Ome Farm aims to nurture its hometown through agriculture.
[Related website] 100 BANCH
This article was originally published on IDEAS FOR GOOD
Translated by Kirsty Kawano
