Photo/Yoichi Watanabe (POW JAPAN)
Text/Ryu Okawa
On Sunday, August 21, snowboarders, skiers, and nature lovers living in the Niseko area gathered to deepen their understanding of climate change, "think about what they can do," and "create a local movement from Niseko." A "POW meeting" was held with the aim of creating an opportunity to wake up.
Many people gathered to deepen exchanges, centering on talks by Mr. Shoma Hasebe, who is in charge of promoting the Niseko Town Environmental Model City, and Mr. Arata Matsumoto, who is facing the construction plan for a large-scale wind power plant in the Otaki district of Date. Same event. While helping with this event, I will send you a report from the perspective of Mr. Ryu Okawa, who participated with his family.
●
Niseko's short summer was coming to an end.
As if to miss the last day of summer, I spent the morning with my family at the beach, and at dusk on Sunday, I headed to an event space in a renovated old stone storehouse in Niseko Town. To help and participate in POW's first event in Niseko.
If you're a skater, you've probably seen an organization called "Protect Our Winters" POW somewhere. Founded in 2007 by snowboarder Jeremy Jones, who is active as a top big mountain rider.
Currently, it has spread to 13 countries, and in Japan, activities are spreading as POW Japan in 2019. It is an organization that works with the mission of "becoming a force for those who are passionate about outdoor activities and act to protect their fields and lifestyles from climate change".
An hour before the start of the event, a pre-meeting with POW, support companies, and organizations began peacefully.
All of them were impressive with healthy tanned skin and toned bodies.
I am also a person who was fascinated by Niseko's snow, started going there, and before I knew it I was living here. I intuitively feel that it would be interesting to be with these people.
Organic cafe POW BAR (The name is the same as POW this time, so it's confusing, but it's a Niseko company that manufactures energy bars and runs a cafe. Both coffee and energy bars are delicious. Try it when you come to Niseko.) While eating, introduce yourself and confirm the flow after this.
I'm very sorry for the selfish image, but I thought that the meeting of the environmental protection group would be serious and tense, but they were just like the people I met for the first time, and I wanted to hang out with these people more. I became stronger.
As a parking attendant, I guide the cars of the participants. Campers, surfboards, and cars with fishing rods gather one after another. More than 100 participants who are truly passionate about outdoor activities. The number of participants indicates the high level of interest.
When I returned to the venue from the parking lot, POW explained the current state of climate change. It explains how human activity is causing climate change. What will happen to the earth if this continues? It makes me feel uneasy.
And here, the daughter who came to play with his wife begins to get bored.
She doesn't like making noise in the hall, and she's certainly not a funny story for a 3-year-old. she takes her outside. From the big theme of the environment, it is pulled back to the theme of the family at once.
I remember walking with her daughter holding her hand. Her wife was reluctant to attend the 6 p.m. event on Sunday evening. The next day is Monday and she has work and nursery school. The later the night, the harder the morning. If you say so, I have no words to reply.
For many residents, I think it is a high hurdle to participate in the meeting.
Rather than that, you will prioritize your own problems, the time you spend with your family, and the next day's work, which are happening right in front of you. I myself probably wouldn't have attended if I hadn't been invited.
When I think that the participants here are surely coming to terms with their own lives, I am impressed that everyone is amazing. Before I had a family, I too was interested in environmental issues, even if I wasn't enthusiastic about it.
I strolled around the outside of the venue with my daughter and returned.
Near the entrance, children who are tired of the adults' presentations are playing in the dark. When I look at my children, who will live many decades longer than I do, I feel sorry for making the world an even more uncomfortable place. Domestic problems and environmental problems are not separate problems, but are closely related.
Group work started at the venue.
Divide into groups of 4 or 5 people and discuss what you are doing and what you think. At the preliminary meeting, if there was a group that was not speaking actively, I was asked to help them, but all the groups were lively, so there was no need to worry about that. We often heard talks such as "Don't buy PET bottles", "Local production for local consumption as much as possible", and "Efficient use of energy". Even though you think you know everything, it's the small things that you can take concrete action on. Rather than waiting for big decisions and technology that will turn everything upside down, it is really important to move forward with what you can do, and that will lead to big changes.
Before I knew it, I was bored and lazy, and felt that it was someone else's problem.
Mr. Goro Komatsu, the company's representative, gave me a strong message: "Never give up. I will not give up."
Next, Mr. Arata Matsumoto from the fly and lure fishing area BIG FIGHT Matsumoto gave a presentation on the construction plan for a large-scale wind power plant in the Otaki area of Date. The construction of large-scale wind power generation and mega-solar power generation is said to have a great impact on nature under the cause of renewable energy, and creates new problems in the way of problem solving. The recent development in the Otaki area is exactly the same, and it is said that local residents have a great distrust of ORIX Corporation, the construction company ( click here for the online signature site ).
Mr. Matsumoto himself, when he first heard about wind power generation, he thought it was environmentally friendly, wasn't it?
However, as it was close to his fishing spot, he found a big contradiction and problem when he investigated. Here, it seems that the environmental problem, which was somehow someone else's problem, has changed for himself. It was impressive that he emphasized the importance of that.
2 hours of dense content.
"So what should I do in the end?" When I was lost, Mr. Shotaro Takada of POW JAPAN gave me a friendly smile and said, "I think it's fine. I think it's important to keep thinking." He told me. It may be difficult to keep thinking alone, but if you share it with someone like this, even I, who tends to be lazy, will be able to manage it.
My initial impression that "It seems like it would be fun to be with the POW people" became even stronger.
POW JAPAN website contains various information about snow and the environment, including this event.
writer
Ryu Okawa
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1984. Lives in Rankoshi Town.
He belongs to FAR EAST SNOWSPORTS as a ski instructor in winter. Instagram @ ryu_okawa is attracting attention as a service that creates an unexperienced Niseko and snow vacation, not just a ski school, but also a concierge.