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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
August 6, 2008
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| July 7, 2008 |
Yu Tanaka – The Diagonal Approach |
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| Yu Tanaka accompanied passengers on a tour of natural energy plants in Reykjavik, Iceland |
A mark of success for Peace Boat's education programmes is when its lectures are filled with passengers diligently learning and absorbing. When the educator is talking about how individuals can help save the environment, there is an added feeling of hope. Hope that our beautiful planet still has a future because its people have not yet given up the fight.
Such were the sessions led by environmentalist and peace activist Yu Tanaka. With discussions rich in facts, figures, statistics, graphs and examples, Mr Tanaka exposed government-created illusions about global warming, dams, electricity, nuclear power plants and peak oil. |
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| Yu Tanaka said that 80% of wood cut in Japan for housing is wasted. Photo provided by Yu Tanaka |
On the topic of ‘War and Money’, Mr Tanaka discussed the war-profiteering gold rush that has fed the pockets of Washington officials through the likes of Carlyle and Halliburton.
He also spoke of the relationship between cluster bombs, their manufacturer Lockheed and Mizuho bank, one of Lockheed’s investors. Mr Tanaka detailed plans to confront Mizuho on return to Japan, with what he believes is unacceptable policy. He urged passengers to also voice their concern and to cease connections with groups that part take in such investment practices. |
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No chemicals are used in the construction of the Organic House, which will last for at least 300 years. Photo provided by Yu Tanaka |
In responding to problems the world is facing, Mr Tanaka believed there are three ways to make a difference. The first is the ‘vertical approach’, to become a politician. The second ‘horizontal approach’ is to speak to people. Third is the ‘diagonal approach’, to actually create an alternative.
In keeping with his own advice, in 1994 Mr Tanaka and seven friends put together four million yen and created the ‘Mirai (Future) Bank’, with a fixed three percent interest rate. Their mandate was to only finance companies that were good for the environment. Any surpluses are used to decrease the interest rate. The bank currently stands at over 180 million yen in investments and 700 million in loans. |
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In keeping with traditional Japanese building methods, nails are not used to join the infrastructure of the Organic House. Photo provided by Yu Tanaka |
Another diagonal invention is Mr Tanaka’s ‘Organic Housing’ project, an entirely self-sufficient, energy producing home, complete with compost, rainwater collection and wastewater filtering units. The goals of the project are to make houses that don’t adversely affect people’s health, provide job opportunities for those working in the forestry industry and help to save Japan’s mountains.
Self-sustaining alternatives to unethical, unprincipled and destructive norms of modern society are going to become increasingly important in the future. Mr Tanaka’s active resolve to find an alternative and educate others in the process has been an invaluable asset in the fight against global warming and the quest for world peace. |
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Yu Tanaka Profile
Yu Tanaka Environmental Activist
Born in Tokyo in 1957, Tanaka Yu is involved in grassroots movements to encourage recycling, oppose nuclear power plants, and various environmental and peace-related NGOs. He co-founded the 'Mirai (Future) Bank' in 1994, which provides finance for ecologically sound community projects. A prolific author, Mr Tanaka has published works on themes including the eradication of poverty, global warming and the environmental costs of war. |
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