JOC Environmental Ambassadors Take Action!
The JOC has appointed 10 JOC Environmental Ambassadors nominated by sports federations with the aim of having them play a central role in the environmental protection activities of sports federations. The first Conference of Ambassadors was held on 25 April, 2007. The ambassadors conducted training on policies concerning activities geared to expanding environmental protection in the sports world, and they also exchanged information on the environmental activities being conducted in each organization. The ambassadors will continue to hold periodic training sessions as well as conduct activities regarding the dissemination of information, enlightening people and practicing environmental protection at JOC events and competitions staged by various sports federations, etc.
Toshihiko SekoJapan Association of Athletics Federations
In our household, we try to consider the environment in our everyday lives. My son has started an environmental circle at university, while at home we keep the air conditioner set to 28 degrees (in the summer), we remove plugs from sockets when not in use, and we try to use trains rather than cars for traveling. These are all minor actions, but environmental protection is a global issue, so it is important for each and every one of us to display awareness. Just as there are rules in sports, protecting the environment is one of the rules of living on Earth, and I hope we can pass down a beautiful environment to our children and grandchildren 100 years from now.
Kyoko Iwasaki Japan Swimming Federation
Swimming is usually thought of only as a pool activity. However, open-water events are held in the ocean, and marine environmental problems such as water pollution and coastal littering are critical. For this reason, at events held in Japan, we spend around 10 minutes cleaning up coastal areas and beaches. It is only a short amount of time, but we hope it is enough to encourage people to be aware of the ocean environment. It is also important for me to spread the message about the environment in the lectures that I give. (Photograph provided by AfloSport.)
Takeshi OkadaJapan Football Association
I am a member of the JFA’s environmental project and I was recently appointed as a JOC Environmental Ambassador, and I hope that I can make some contribution regarding environmental awareness within the sports world. I want to do my best to ensure that we can continue to enjoy sports and pass on a habitable world to our children. (Photograph provided by Photo Kishimoto.)
Kenji Ogiwara Ski Association of Japan
In my travels around the world as a skier, I have seen the unmistakable progress of global warming. I have visited the world’s ski resorts when there was snow in abundance; I have taken part in tournaments when the temperature was 20 degrees below zero; and I have practiced skiing on glaciers in the summer. Now, we have warm winters where we can’t even rely on artificial snow. Having experienced such changes first-hand over the past 15 years, I believe that the ski world, more than anyone, must take the initiative in campaigning against global warming. I hope to work together with everybody while passing on my own experience.
Shuzo MatsuokaJapan Tennis Association
There was a time during a match in China when I suddenly started choking and had to forfeit the match. The cause was photochemical smog. Since learning that this is also caused by global warming, I have come to realize that we can only play sports when the natural environment is in good order. If global warming continues at its present rate, it is only a matter of time before we can no longer stage the Winter Olympic Games. So I believe it is our duty to convey the importance of nature to more and more people.
Motoko ObayashiJapan Volleyball Association
Since getting to know Alpinist Ken Noguchi three or four years ago, I have been interested in environmental issues such as waste. We usually take the air that we breathe and the water that we drink for granted. Just like with natural disasters where we only realize the value of our land after it has been damaged, we tend to forget about how important having clean air and water is. We need to start from the things we can do - for example, opening windows rather than depending on air conditioners. On talk shows and the like, I have the opportunity to speak about linking actions to dreams from the viewpoint of sports and the environment, and I want to continue to voice this message.
Mitsuo TsukaharaJapan Gymnastic Association
In Beijing, there are concerns over air pollution, which could pose a major problem for outdoor events. Due to smoke and soot from factories, exhaust gas from automobiles, and yellow sand, I hear that photochemical smog warnings are not uncommon. Nowadays, people are turning their attention to environmental problems, and are aiming to achieve coexistence with nature in building a future society on a clean Earth. Since the Olympic Games is one of the biggest events in the world, it can and should play an important part in this. I truly hope that the Beijing Olympic Games will prove to be a celebration of peace amidst surroundings of blue skies, clean air, clear waters and abundant greenery.
Toshiyuki KuroiwaJapan Skating Federation
In years gone by, it was not unusual to see children enjoying skating on frozen lakes and marshes. Now, even the lakes up in Hokkaido don’t always freeze over, and the makeshift skate rinks that people used to build by flooding paddy fields in my home prefecture of Gunma are no longer possible. When one considers that the sports we enjoy during childhood provide the basis for the sporting population of the future, I, as a skating lover, feel personally responsible for finding and seriously taking steps to deal with global warming. (Photograph provided by AfloSport.)
Junko Yaginuma Japan Skating Federation
In order to further establish figure skating in Japan, it is important for us to prepare a good environment. In recent years, systems have been developed to utilize the heat from waste incineration plants to freeze skating rinks. Ice-making systems designed not to harm the ozone layer or contribute to global warming have also been developed. In the long term, such systems will benefit the environment and become less costly, but it will take time to introduce them to all rinks in Japan. In the first instance, I think it is important to make use of the rinks we have while conserving energy.
Koji Kobayashi Japan Wrestling Federation
At tournaments, we always encourage patrons to co-operate with regards to trash separation or to take their trash home with them. Until recently, I worked in a company concerned with the intermediate treatment of industrial waste, so I look on trash as “treasure” or “a resource.” Plastic, iron, aluminum and stainless steel items are merely rubbish if mixed together. However, when separated they become resources that can be traded for good prices. In that sense, the mountains of waste in Japan today are like mines. For example, gold is one of the materials used in personal computer terminals. I hope we can promote action by doing what we can a little at a time.