The impacts of human industry and waste are largely only realized after the damage has been done. As they say, hindsight is 20/20. Yet remaining ahead of the curve, especially in terms of environmental issues, is critical. This was the realization of the Japanese town, Kamikatsu, when they began their zero waste initiative.
The town with a mere population of 1,700 has an impressive handle on the amount of garbage they produce each year. “Since the program began in 2003, 83 per cent of the town’s garbage gets recycled, reused or composted,” reported Seeker Stories, who recently profiled the town in an informative video.
Deputy Chief Officer of the Zero Waste Academy, Akira Sakano, reminded Seeker that the town did not always operate in this way. They used to engage in open incineration (burning garbage) to expel their waste, but with each black cloud of smoke that filled the air, the townspeople grew increasingly anxious of the environmental impacts of their practices.
Now, Kamikatsu residents organize their waste into a whopping 34 different categories, including: aluminum cans, steel cans, spray cans, pet bottles, paper cartons, cardboard, newspapers, paper flyers, etc. It’s a lot to get used to, and of course it’s a burden for the first little while—but humans are marvelous at adapting. Once you get used to the process, it becomes hard to imagine anything different. The town even has a shop where residents can exchange old unused items for free. A factory in town also employs a number of women who make products from discarded items, sewing discarded cloth into plush animals, clothing and flags.
To further encourage residents of the town, recycling bins are common. The bins include signs that indicate what peoples’ trash will be recycled into, and how much money their efforts will earn the community. Indeed, creating a community that supports a like-minded ideology and mission is crucial to feeding broad social change. Communities of this sort are also few and far between, but somebody has to go first. Kamikatsu is a beautiful example for the rest of the world, demonstrating the far-reaching impacts of many small actions.
