As part of ITOCHU's participation in the Mottainai Campaign, ITOCHU gave its approval to “Earth Day Tokyo 2008” (in Yoyogi Park on April 19 and 20), the largest environmental event held by citizens in Japan, and participated in it for the first time.

Earth Day Outline

Earth Day was born from the declaration of U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 that April 22 should be a day for thinking and acting for the sake of the Earth. It is now the world's largest Earth festival, participated in 500 million people in 175 countries as a day for sharing an awareness of appreciation and affection for the Earth, and for humanity to live in harmony with nature.
In Japan events related to Earth Day have been held since 1990, with Earth Day Tokyo being the largest Earth Day event in the country. In 2007, 376 groups gathered together with a record number crowd of 120,000 people.
Earth Day 2008 is putting the spotlight on the themes of “energy”, “food” and “agriculture”, encouraging changes in consumption habits and lifestyles under the title of “Shift Green - Choose Earth's Future Now!” The event will be enlivened by the presence of such special guests as the actress: Saya Takagi, well known for her self-sufficient lifestyle, and action committee chairman: C.W. Nichol.

• * Earth Day Tokyo 2008 homepage: http://www.earthday-tokyo.org

Mottainai Campaign Action Outline

All of the MOTTAINAI lifestyle products feature the teary-eyed, heart, and 3R+R original MOTTAINAI brand illustrations.

1. Holding the Earth Day Mottainai Flea Market

The Mottainai Flea Market Recycling Scheme

2. Mottainai Declaration Recruiting

People willing to participate in Mottainai slogans able to be used in everyday life are being sought. Those who offer their cooperation will be given a ‘sweet basil seed bookmarker’. (This bookmarker, if placed in the ground and watered, will actually sprout a plant from the seed attached) The slogans are intended to enable each person to think of actions they take in their immediate environment.

1) Selling used clothes for 100 yen each

Clothing gathered through Mottainai Flea Markets (held each weekend from April 2007 in parks and community centers in Tokyo) will be sold for 100 yen each. The profits from this will donated to the Green Belt Movement for reforestation founded by Wangari Maathai.

2) Mottainai Declaration Recruiting

People willing to participate in Mottainai slogans able to be used in everyday life are being sought. Those who offer their cooperation will be given a ‘sweet basil seed bookmarker’. (This bookmarker, if placed in the ground and watered, will actually sprout a plant from the seed attached) The slogans are intended to enable each person to think of actions they take in their immediate environment.

3) Sale of Mottainai Brand Products

Products allowing people to live the Mottainai lifestyle will be sold, including personal shopping bags, chopsticks and canteens. A part of the proceeds from the product sales will be donated to the Green Belt Movement for reforestation founded by Wangari Maathai.

4) Mottainai Campaign Activity Displays

Activities taken as part of the Mottainai Campaign started in 2005 will be displayed in the booths.

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