Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Steve Myersco,
Voice 2
And I'm Marina Santee. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Today, over half the people on the planet live in a town or city. 2008 was the first time in history that this became true. The growth of many towns and cities in Africa and Asia is also faster than it has ever been. This raises many issues. One of these is that people throw away trash - the material and things they do not want. The problem is how to manage the increased waste from all those people.
Voice 2
Waste management is a problem for authorities all over the world. Experts say that people around the world produce 1.6 billion tonnes of waste from their homes each year. They also say that two times as much waste will be produced in the year 2030. In many places, this waste is burned, buried, or left in huge waste areas near cities. All this is bad for the environment.
Voice 1
So, is it time we thought more about what happens to our waste? Today's Spotlight looks at a different way of managing waste. Its goal is to produce no waste at all - so the system is called ‘Zero Waste'. People in many different countries are using Zero Waste projects to help in their local areas.
Voice 3
‘We were no longer able to burn our waste. So, we thought the best policy was simply not to produce any waste.'
Voice 2
These are some of the words of Sonoe Fujii. She spoke to the Guardian newspaper about the Zero Waste project in her town - Kamikatsu in Japan. Kamikatsu has been a Zero Waste town since 2003. Sonoe Fujii is one of the people who helps to manage the Zero Waste project in the town
Voice 1
Very little of Kamikatsu's waste is now burned or buried. Instead people recycle their waste. They collect unwanted materials such as glass bottles, metal cans and paper. These materials can be used to make new products. To recycle like this, people must first separate their waste into 34 different kinds of materials.
Voice 2
In 2008 Kamikatsu recycled over 80 percent of its waste. In the future, the authorities in Kamikatsu hope they will not burn or bury any waste at all. They hope to be recycling all of the town's waste by the year 2020. This will prevent the damage to the environment that burning or burying waste would cause.
Voice 1
Zero Waste is an idea that is becoming popular around the world. It encourages people and authorities to recycle more. It also encourages them to use products that can be recycled easily. Zero Waste projects also encourage businesses to think about the waste they produce. This helps to reduce waste in the production and selling of goods.
Voice 2
Zero Waste's aim is to stop producing waste, not just manage the waste. Many towns, authorities and individuals around the world are using the Zero Waste idea. The capital of Australia was one of the first places to try it. The authorities in Canberra hope to produce no waste by the year 2010. Many areas in New Zealand also have Zero Waste projects. There are also Zero Waste groups in Africa, Asia, Europe and America.
Voice 1
But Zero Waste is not just an idea for governments and authorities. It is an idea that individuals can use as well. Today, many people are concerned about the environment. Some of these people are also thinking about the waste they produce from their homes.
Voice 2
One example of this is a family from England. They call themselves the Green family. In May 2008, they decided to start their own Zero Waste project. They have tried to make their house Zero Waste. They have written reports of their progress on the internet. Every week they weigh how much waste they produce from their home.
Voice 1
The Green family are also careful about what they buy. They avoid products and food that comes with plastic covering. They do this because they know what happens to such waste - it is burned or buried. They think the way many people live today is damaging the environment.
Voice 2
Mr Green has written about why they wanted to be Zero Waste. He wants to encourage people to save the environment.
Voice 4
‘There is a lot of conflicting information about climate change. This means people do not know what to think about it. There is a feeling of defeat before we have even started. The truth is we can all make a difference. If we all come together and make small changes, the results can be life changing. The environment needs to be saved and together we can do it.'
Voice 1
So what are the small ways for people to create change? Individuals can help by recycling their waste where possible. They can also buy food that is not contained in a lot of plastic or other kinds of material. Reusing paper and other materials instead of wasting them is also important. Individuals can also help by writing to their local authority to encourage them to think more about Zero Waste.
Voice 2
The Japanese have a word that describes the attitude of Zero Waste - ‘mottainai'. In English this word means ‘what a waste'. Japanese people use this word to express regret when something valuable is wasted. This attitude could be why Japan is one of the best countries at recycling. The former Japanese Prime Minister spoke to the leaders of the world's richest countries about this Japanese word. He said,
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‘The word mottainai describes the three Rs - reduce, reuse, and recycle resources. Do not waste them. In other languages I believe it is difficult to translate this word mottainai. So we could simply use the Japanese word - mottainai. It means to believe that environmental protection is important. It also means to value resources.'
Voice 1
As the population of the world increases, more and more waste is being produced. Much more work is needed to manage and reduce this waste. But we can all help the environment in our own small way. One of the best ways of doing this could be to remember one word - mottainai!
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