Good consumers.

"Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainability", or LOHAS, was introduced in U.S.A. on end of 1990's.
It's main theme is to stop having the idea of "prioritize consumption; make light of environment".

Yeah.
It's common to the traditional "Eco-movements", starting with "Slow Life".

So what's different?

The best and the biggest difference is that it DOESN'T FORCE ABSTINENCE.
it just requires us to be WISE CONSUMERS.
By becoming wise consumers, we can make a good influence to our economy and to our Earth.

Here are some keywords:

- Sustainable Economy
Use recyclable energies like wind power or solar power. Buy "energy-saving" goods. Ride bicycles.

- Healthy Lifestyle
When we pursue for the delicious foods, we reached to the additive-free organic foods.

- Alternative Healthcare
We're interested on oriental medicines. If we become healthy by improving our constitutions, we don't need drugs.

- Personal Development
Yoga may not only get ourselves into shape, but also disciplines us.

- Ecological Lifestyle
We better buy something lasts long, even if it's a little expensive.

To be concrete,
Consumer: "If we buy something at all, we should choose the one kind to the nature."
Producer: "If we sell something at all, we should make the one kind to the nature."

Clear?
It's also easier for producers to join this movement, since it also thinks about the flow of money.

And as long as you're concerned, you're in this movement.
There's nothing bad about it, why don't you join!?

Baseball and Mass Media.

You might have no idea about the relationship of these two.
If you have thought that some Mass Media companies own baseball teams in Japan, you're splendid.
In fact, 3 out of 12 professional teams are owned by Mass Media companies.

But the situation is more complicated (and exciting) now.

Last year, The world of baseball was reorganized.
some Baseball teams were sold, bought, merged and newly joined.

While, in the beginning of this year, Livedoor fought against Fuji TV about the M&A of Nippon Broadcast.

And now,
Murakami of M&A Consulting is Buying stocks of Hanshin Electric Railway, the owner of "Hanshin Tigers", and Tokyo Broadcast, the owner of "Yokohama Bay Stars", while Mikitani of Rakuten is also buying the stocks of Tokyo Broadcast.

Their difference is clear.
Murakami purely pursues for profit margin, while Mikitani believes that when an IT company and a Mass Media company merges, it will pioneer a new form of industry.
Mikitani said, If they can merge, it is alright to make Rakuten to be the subsidiary company of Tokyo Broadcast.
That is his vision.

But it may be somehow difficult for them to merge.
Tokyo Broadcast is an owner of "Yokohama Bay Stars", and according to the rule, it is not allowed for a company to own two or more baseball teams.

Either way, I'll enjoy watching the development after this.

Baseball was the most popular sports in Japan, while Mass Media had strongest influence.
These two worlds reigned for long time in Japan, and are believed that they are unshakable.
But as the proverb says "The only constant thing in this world is 'change'.", They represents that Japan is in a phase of generational change.

Baseball is not anymore the only popular sports in Japan. People loves to watch Soccer (Football), K-1 (Martial Arts), Golf, Tennis, and many more.

And as Horie or Mikitani said, Internet is becoming the new ruler over the world of Mass Media, no longer TV Broadcasting.

And generational change is a proof of active economy.

Column: Baseball reorganization.

Last year, The world of baseball was reorganized.

Perhaps the biggest shock was that "Kintetsu Buffaloes" declared that they are in financial difficulties. they decided to MERGE with "Orix Bluewaves", and became "Orix Buffaloes".

The world of baseball was in an uproar.
They had never experienced the merge between two teams.
And a problem came out inevitably, that the number of teams lacks to continue the league.

In this situation, Livedoor and Rakuten, both the newly founded IT companies, had given their name for new entry.
Finally, Rakuten had won, and "Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles" joined the league.

Also, Daiei, the owner of "Fukuoka Daiei Hawks" sold the team to Softbank, an IT company too, and became "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks".

In short, the owners of baseball teams represents the economy of this nation.

Disasters.

Last October 8, there were strong earthquake on northern part of Pakistan.
It is said that about 50,000 people are dead.

Hurricane Katrina stroke Southern part of U.S.A. on last August.
Here, about 1,200 people are dead.

So which of the two is the bigger news?
Think well...
(Terrorism in Bali is another big news, but I'll put it aside.)

You might say, "many people are died in Pakistan, since that country is overpopulated."
But the population of Islamabad is just 400,000 while the population of New Orleans is 500,000.

Many buildings are ruined? That's for both.
Crimes increased drastically? Same as well.

The scale of news isn't proportional to the scale of the disaster.
(It may be politics, but I'm not talking about it this time.)

These both incidents brought out the consequence of prioritizing the pursuit of profit.

There are people who underestimate the power of hurricane.
There are people who constructed the buildings which don't meet the required standards, to built them cheaper.
And, there are people who weren't able to escape, since they had no enough money.

Perhaps, these are the warnings from nature.

And yet, Japanese proverb says, people use to forget the news in 75 days.
Who still remember the earthquake in Sumatra? Terrorism on London? Train accident in Japan?

Okay, Terrorism or Train accident are human errors.
And you may say, natural disasters are inevitable.
But remember, human errors together could make the disaster more tragic.
Our little care could prevent so many things.

Did you know that in Chernobyl, when the alarm rang, a stuff TURNED IT OFF!?
Ridiculous, but it's true.

That's not nature? Okay.
Tokyo has one of the most developed drainage system in the world.
And yet, It flooded on last August, caused by a local downpour and such a carelessness.
Nobody expected rain of 100mm per hour, and the drainage system soon reached its maximum capacity.

In modern civilization, we, human race, thought that we conquered the nature.
NO.
Nature exists first, then us.
So we must become humble to the nature.

Team -6%.

On February 2005, Kyoto Protocol took effect.
It says all about reduction of green house gases for the global warming.
And all advanced nation must reduce CO2 emission, with quota. Japan must reduce 6% from the amount emitted on 1990.

Still, Kyoto protocol is powerless.
These are the top 5 nations in the amount of CO2 emitted:

5601.7 m-Tons : U.S.A.
2795.0 m-Tons : China
1437.4 m-Tons : Russia
1186.4 m-Tons : Japan
1072.6 m-Tons : India
(m-Tons stands for metric tons, which 1 m-Ton = 1,000 kg.)

In above nations, U.S.A. doesn't ratifies Kyoto protocol, while China and India are exempted from Kyoto protocol as "developing countries".

But it doesn't mean that we may not stop the Global Warming.

Team -6% (Minus Six Percent) is a group of people who stands up against the Global Warming.
The leader is Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan. Many other celebrities and famous people are members, and 110,000 people join this movement.

And I'm a member, too.

"Cool-Biz" is one of the most well-known activity of the Team -6%, but it's not the only activity.
From this October, "Warm-Biz", the counterpart of "Cool-Biz", begins.

There are 6 main activities.

1. Aircon is 28 degrees Celsius for cooling, 20 degrees for heating. (Cool-Biz and Warm-Biz)
2. Close the faucet often.
3. Buy eco-goods.
4. Stop idling cars.
5. Decline over-packing.
6. Unplug often.

These small acts can be done promptly by everybody.
And these could save the Earth, if everybody unites to do these.
Yes, it's our consciousness which could save the Earth.