Jump to content

Ondanka Wa Teki Da! (Global Warming is the Enemy!)


Recommended Posts

Oyuki kigan is organising an event in Nagano city on 1st December for anyone interested.

 

There'll be some SJ stickers there as well which will obviously also be a huge incentive to go ;\)

 

Here's the details from Oyuki kigan:

 

==========================

 

Ondanka Wa Teki Da! (Global Warming is the Enemy!)

 

Although we all have a stake in maintaining a healthy planet, skiers and snowboarders should especially concerned about Global Warming, and what it means for the sports we love.

 

While is not debatable that the winters are more erratic and unstable than in the past, the seasons are generally getting shorter, and there is less snow, there is a lot of contraversy surrounding this topic. This affects all of us, from the recreational boarder to the ski-bum to the resort manager.

 

So this event is a chance for those of you who are too busy hanging out on ski internet sites to get some basic information about Global Warming, what it means for our sports, and what we can do to prevent it.

 

But it won't be all talk, there will also be some classic and recent ski and snowboard videos shown (Maltese Flamingo, Bikecar, Upping the Ante, etc) as well as a chance to win prizes and test your knowledge of Global Warming in the eco quiz.

 

Because this stuff is scary, and we should be the first ones concerned about Global Warming, come on out and have a good time while maybe, perhaps, even learn something!

 

Ondanka Wa Teki Da! will be held at Moriya Hall (the 3rd floor above Tully's Coffee, right by Tower Records) in Nagano City.

 

Starts at 6:30 until 9:30

Tix are 500 yen in advance and 700 yen at the door

 

Tix can be bought at the following shops who are sponsoring the event

 

Skunk Factory (Ueda)

White Forest (Komoro)

Wagodo (Nagano)

Shu/El Dorado (Nagano)

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

why do i think that i will need it?

 

Seriously, for anybody who is intereted, please let me know.

 

Top Ten Reasons for attending

 

10-Its in the evening, you can check it out after riding or checking out Olympic's large collection of straight skis for 1000 yen

 

9-Because i am cuter than Al Gore. By cuter, i mean balder.

 

8- Because Global Warming is happening, and i need some friends who can understand why i cry myself to sleep.

 

7-The polar bears dude. Do it for the polar bears. And the people living on the South Pacific Atolls.

 

6- Videos! Anyone here remember Greg Stump's "Maltese Flamingo"? Yeah, i have that one. Plus, Trancendence, Upping The Ante, and Bikecar! (maybe even a Whisky movie too, if we have time!)

 

5-Prized out the yazoo! Sponsored by the local shops! Answer correcty at the eco-quiz, and some 80`s style headbands could be yours!

 

4- We are located right above a Tullys. Get your expresso on while you hang with good people

 

3-Cheap! Only 500 yen in advance, 700 at the door! Any and all profits will be donated to Greenpeace (who will be making a nuisance for those Humpback killers)

 

2-Dammit, we need the snow! Skiers/boarders should be the first people concerned and getting involved about this!

 

1-Because no one else will show up! Except for AK!

Link to post
Share on other sites
 Originally Posted By: Oyuki kigan
Not why does HE, why do I. It was a rhetorical question.

Meaning that i did the same thing in Feb, but only 12 people showed up.

Meaning, i do need the luck this time.


ah...I read it wrong as well....my bad!!
Link to post
Share on other sites

Good for you to do something proactive about it instead of just rallying against industrialization. There's a lot of conspiracy theories about the cause of global warming not being man-made. Whatever. That still doesn't mean the world should cut down on fossil fuels to reduce CO2 and pollution. Fossil fuels are primitive energy sources and should be supported by clean energy sources. I recoomend the 'Clean Tech Revolution' as a good primer on what it's all about.

 

Japan will be one of the last countries to be directly affected by global warming (not pollution from its neighbour) because of its geographical location and currents. (Correct me if I'm wrong here). Regardless, sometimes I feel Japan as a nation does a lot more to promote the environment than western countries. I always feel Canada, Aussie and NZ are hypocritical when they flaunt their Greenpeace badges yet cruise around in their SUVs or beat-up Holdens. What's up with that?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, i appricaite the support, Tripitika. I agree awith alot of what you said. And Japan does have a lot of green initiatives, and i have seen way more solar and passive-heating systems on houses here than i do anywhere else (however, that is most likely due to economic factors, rather than ecological).

 

However, on the whole, i find the average japanese person to be much less informed about GW and what causes it than most other developed countries. case and point is this kind of event. I can almost guarantee that even though i have spend a fair pit of energy getting the word out to the local snowboarders, the foriegn population will outnumber them at the event.

 

Things like the shopping bag and disposable chopstick problems are just the tip of much more systemic ways of thinking that haven't even begun to get adressed over here (where at least in other countries there seems to be healthy debate)

 

It does seem like the poeple here would rather let the corporations and governments decide how they live, than take responsibility themselves.

 

And thanks Creek Boy, i will definately try to find that!

Link to post
Share on other sites
 Originally Posted By: Oyuki kigan
Well, i appricaite the support, Tripitika. I agree awith alot of what you said. And Japan does have a lot of green initiatives, and i have seen way more solar and passive-heating systems on houses here than i do anywhere else (however, that is most likely due to economic factors, rather than ecological).

However, on the whole, i find the average japanese person to be much less informed about GW and what causes it than most other developed countries. case and point is this kind of event. I can almost guarantee that even though i have spend a fair pit of energy getting the word out to the local snowboarders, the foriegn population will outnumber them at the event.

Things like the shopping bag and disposable chopstick problems are just the tip of much more systemic ways of thinking that haven't even begun to get adressed over here (where at least in other countries there seems to be healthy debate)

It does seem like the poeple here would rather let the corporations and governments decide how they live, than take responsibility themselves.

And thanks Creek Boy, i will definately try to find that!


Yes, I agree entirely with what you say about individual responsibility and the tendency for individuals let the system decide for them. I still feel the West bags on Japan more than it should when it comes to environmental and human rights issues (particularly the Anglo countries). The clean tech book is good. You'll a lot of Japanese companies are the leaders in clean technology, particularly fuel cells and solar power. All the big boys--Toyota, Matsushita, Sanyo, Sharp--are all leading the charge.
Link to post
Share on other sites

UPDATE

 

Well, the event went off, and not entirely as planned.

 

Left early in the day to make the rounds to the shops to pick up the prizes for the eco quiz, but some one had moved to the most obscure location possible (taking an hour to find) and another had nothing ready for me, and my contact there was at home sick.

 

Also, hooking up the mac to the projector was a gong show, and the animimations in the slides wouldn't play properly, but we managed to make do anyways.

 

But while getting off to a late start, the rest of the event went pretty much as planned, and i think everyone had a good time, and not only walked away with perhaps a little deeper understanding of the problem but also prizes generously donated by the sponsors, especially our own Snow Japan. Thank you very much!

 

While the eco-quiz was enjoyed by all (as were the prizes) i think the real fun was when we watched the videos. We showed some clips from 'Maltese Flamingo', and watched the new Airblaster vid which was ridiculous.

 

The only real downer was the amount of people that showed up. Again, as last time, only about 12 people showed up, despite the increased advertising and advance tickets. Something has to change about that.

 

So please check here again. Kusa Yaro!, the group that puts on these events will be looking into doing some smaller versions of the same thing at local bars, shops, and venues thoughout Nagano. And maybe beyond.

 

As for now, we are looking into doing one night in Hakuba, and maybe one in Ueda. If you would like to help, or know of a good place to hold this kind of event, even outside Nagano, please PM me.

 

Thanks again,

 

ben

Link to post
Share on other sites

Do vegans avoid feather beds and silk sheets?

 

Sorry I couldn't make it again Oyuki. Too busy with werk.

 

Japanese folk don't know so much about global warming, but they're well into energy efficiency ("sho-ene"). Perhaps the save energy/money angle is stronger than the save the planet/carbon footprint one.

Link to post
Share on other sites
×
×
  • Create New...