"Earth Lunch Hour" Little ideas add up to big changes.
The Panasonic Group started "Earth Lunch Hour" in 2010, a lunchtime event for Panasonic employees worldwide to think about the environment.
This activity aims for people to spend an eco-friendly lunch hour by thinking about the environment and taking action through lunch: what ingredients are used, how it is prepared, and how it is cleaned. Employees and their families as well as cafeteria members and the general public are also invited to join the event.
Why don't you spend Earth Lunch Hour with us?
Please visit the following website for more information on the previous Earth Lunch Hour.
How to spend Earth Lunch Hour
We will take a fresh look at how we spend lunchtime from the 4 points of view of “ingredients,” “preparation,” “clearing up” and “Habits.” The following items are presented as Earth Lunch Hour priority initiatives for employees and their families to help reduce environmental impact.
Food Selection
- By taking advantage of local ingredients in season, strive to create a menu of tasty dishes with low environmental impact.
- Strive to create a menu that makes use of ingredients with a low environmental impact during production, such as vegetables and chicken.
- When purchasing ingredients choose as much as possible healthy, natural ingredients with a low environmental impact that are organically–grown or pesticide–free.
An example of workplace initiatives
Food Preparation
- Endeavor to create a menu that makes use of all the ingredients and minimizes food waste.
- Bring packed lunches to work that make good use of leftovers from home.
- Minimize energy consumption by cooking things together and utilizing spare heat.
- Adopt techniques to increase efficient heat use, such as chopping ingredients up finely and adjusting the stove flame to match the size of the pan bottom.
- Try to save every drop of water by using a bowl when washing-up.
- Adopt cooking methods that reduce water consumption, such as boiling pasta and vegetables together.
An example of workplace initiatives
Clearing Up
- Reduce the number of dishes used by serving several items on one dish.
- Clear up dirty dishes without stacking to reduce stains.
- Introduce biodegradable detergent that does not contain environmentally harmful ingredients.
- Keep detergent use to a reasonable amount.
- Try to reduce waste with thorough recycling.
- Promote the use of compost made from household garbage.
An example of workplace initiatives
Habits
- Order a reasonable amount and don't leave leftovers.
- Devise a menu structure and marketing plan to promote restaurant operation with no leftovers and no unsold food.
- Turn off lights and PCs not being used during breaks.
- Have employees bring their own bag or bottle for reuse.
- Be thorough in the workplace about reducing and reusing.
An example of workplace initiatives
Five Points about Food Ecology
1. Eco-friendly labels-
The blue MSC label is displayed on marine products harvested by methods that consider marine resources and the ocean environment. Many kinds of eco-labels exist.
MSCI0263 http://www.msc.org/
2. Distance from place of production to the dinner table-
The farther food travels, the more CO2 is emitted. When choosing food and ingredients, consider not only quality and price, but also the distance it has travelled to get to your table.
3. CO2 from food production-
It takes energy to produce food. The amount of CO2 emissions depends on crop growing methods and the size of animals used for meat.
4. Global water shortage-
The world is facing a serious water shortage. Urgent measures are needed to conserve water and prevent water pollution.1
1. Economic and Social Council "Comprehensive assessment of the freshwater resources of the world" (1997)
5. Mountains of food waste-
Each year nearly 20 million tons of food are thrown away in Japan,2 and the global amount is much greater. We must treat food more carefully. It's precious.
2: Ministry of the Environment "Annual Report on the Environment, Sound Material-Cycle Society and the Biodiversity In Japan 2010"
Time to reconsider our family lifestyles!
Global water shortage
Did you know?
- Global water consumption increased by 2.9 times between 1950 and 2000, and is expected to increase by another 1.3 times by 2025.1
- One in five persons in developing countries does not have access to the world standard of a safe source of water within one kilometer from home, and at least 20 liters of safe water per day. The use of unhygienic water can result in sickness and even death.1
- The average Japanese household uses about 245 liters of water per day, with roughly a quarter of that amount used each for cooking, bathing, and toilet flushing.2
- It takes 13 bathtubs (3,900 liters) of water to dilute one tablespoon of mayonnaise in water until it is clean enough for fish to live in.1
References
1. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "Annual Report on the Environment, the Sound Material-Cycle Society and the Biodiversity in Japan 2010."
2. Japan Ministry of the Environment, "Reader on Domestic Wastewater"
Actions
- Store water for later use.
- Take steps to reduce washing.
- Use biodegradable soaps and cleaners.
- Shower sparingly.
- Wash with larger loads.
Mountains of food wasted
Did you know?
- One in seven people (925 million) suffers from hunger, due natural disasters, poverty and other causes, even though there is enough food for everyone on Earth.1
- Meanwhile, Japan throws away 19.48 million tons of food every year.2
- The biggest reason (70% of respondents) for not eating all the food on the family table is "too much food was prepared."3
- The "best before" date is the date for best taste. The "consume by" date is the date after which it is best not to consume a food item.4
References
1.UN World Food Programme website
2.Japan Ministry of the Environment, "Annual Report on the Environment, the Sound Material-Cycle Society and the Biodiversity in Japan 2010"
3. Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Food Loss Statistical Study 2009 (World Study)"
4. Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, "Food Date Labelling," US Department of Agriculture website, UK Food Standards Agency website
Actions
- Avoid wasting ingredients.
- Waste no food.
- Store food properly to make it last longer.
- Use refrigerator efficiently.
- Check food in refrigerator and on shelf before shopping.
Making smart decisions
Did you know?
- Food mileage is calculated from annual food import volume and the distance food travels to the point of consumption. In units of billion ton-kilometers, compare Japan (900), the United States (300), Korea (300), England (180), Germany (180), and France (100).1
- Almost all fisheries worldwide are predicted to have collapsed by 2050. One reason is overfishing at double the fisheries' rate of natural regeneration.2
- It takes only one-fifth the amount of energy to grow cucumbers in-season outdoors (summer, autum), compared to growing in winter in a hothouse.3
References
1. Policy Research Institute, Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, " Food Mileage and Its Environmental Impacts"
2. UN Environment Programme, "Green Economy Report"
3. Japan Center for Climate Change Actions website
Actions
- Choose local food items in season.
- Eat mainly vegetables and produce, and if meat, from smaller animals.
- Look for natural foods, produced organically and with no pesticides.
- Check "best before" and "consume by" dates on product labels, and purchase items you can consume in time.
- Look for food with minimum packaging.
