Script of Youth Conference on Environmental Education

English Interpretation

Participant:
I am a graduate school student at the Miyagi Univ. of Education. The other day, I went to Thailand to research the vegetation there. When I arrived at the southern part of Thailand, I was very fascinated with such beautiful landscape. It was pretty beautiful. However, once I got out of the area and went to the residential area, such touching sights disappeared and a dirty scene came to me. There was a strong stench coming from the kitchen garbage spread throughout the area. And, there were also wastes including cups of instant noodles and PET bottles in the street. Looking at the landscape, I felt very sad because the garbage of our advanced conveniences seriously contaminates our nature. It's so terrible. I thought human beings are just like "cancer", that is, unsuitable for our ecosystem and destroying our surroundings. Then I even wondered "what do we live for?" You knowcIt's kind of my pessimistic idea. I think it is important that we implement environmental education. And, I also suppose that it is necessary to put much more emphasis on the aspects of serious remaining issues. That is, we must focus on the process of how our daily activities affect or pollute nature.

Participant:
I am a Korean student at Tohoku University Graduate School. Today, I would like to introduce one of the ways to protect our environment, a so-called "Eco Technology". This "natural ecosystem" refers to mountains and seas, and this "artificial ecosystem" means the urban cities in which we live. In the past, ecosystems had moved only from artificial ecosystems to natural ecosystems. But, "Eco-technology" makes one more ecosystem between them, aiming to peacefully coexist with both ecosystems so that we human beings can live together with nature. This is the goal of "Eco Technology". Lastly, in my opinion, environmental issues could not be solved only by the efforts of scientists and environmental related people. I think that it is essential to improve your own environmental awareness.

Participant:
I am from China, studying at Tohoku University Graduate School. In my country, the most serious problem we are now facing is the population issue. The population has already exceeded more than 1.2 billion in China. And, recently, we dump garbage in vinyl bags. The way of reclaiming the wastes is the same as in Japan. However, the number of places where we reclaim the wastes is decreasing. So, I think we should consider the solutions. In addition, I personally believe that environmental education in developing countries is important. We should make efforts of raising environmental awareness of people in developing countries.

Participant:
I am a student of Miyagi University of Education, Graduate School. I come from Inner Mongolia in China. All countries are faced with environmental issues in the course of economic growth. In China, the environmental problems became serious and limited economic development in China.

Participant:
I am studying at Miyagi University of Education. I am from Myanmar. In my hometown, there are about 140 schools and I have been to all these schools. I realized that 70 percents of these schools do not have enough facilities. After going back to my country, I would like to teach how to plow the farms, or the relationship between forests and weather, etc.

Dr. Koganezawa:
You know, we tend to think environmental issues and poverty issues are different. However I think it is the same vein just as we think the environmental problem in China could not be understood without being concerned about the population issue. His presentation explained environmental issues that have a variety of aspects and that are related to our daily life.

Participant:
I am a Taiwanese student of Tohoku University, majoring in Economics. The most serious problem in Taiwan is, I think, mass consumption. The situation of economic growth in Taiwan is very similar to the consumption-oriented society of Japan about 20 years ago. People recklessly buy many products. They don't really think about recycling. I think the present situation is quite worrisome. Talking about the problem, I have a feeling that we should take action more on recycling as we looked at in the Kuzuoka Incineration Plant.

Dr. Koganezawa:
Her presentation brought up the issues of mass consumption societies, including Taiwan and Japan, and the amount of wastes that are increasing in such societies. The circumstances of economic development may differ from each country and I think they are facing different problems. When we think about environmental issues or think about regional issues, it is necessary to understand the background or circumstances of economic growth according to each country.