Multiple "Team Minus 50%" Projects Underway in Lake Toya Area

January 15, 2008

What is "Community Building Project on Virtuous Circle for Environment and Economy"?

The relationship between the environment and the economy should constitute a virtuous circle, where actions for the environment stimulate the economy, and the subsequent economic growth further improves the environment. In order to familiarize this virtuous circle action for the environment and the economy in and out of the country, the Ministry of the Environment is providing various support and aids to environment improvement projects generated and driven by communities throughout the nation. In Lake Toya region, the area hosting the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, multiple projects are being supported and in progress.

Projects Participants

The projects are driven by the Lake Toya Community Building Conference Against Global Warming (established on September 25, 2007). Other participants include;

• Participating Organizations: Date City, Toyako Town, Toyoura Town, Sobetsu Town, Hokkaido, JA Toyako, Sobetsu Hot Spring Bath Users Association, Western Iburi Forestry Association, other businesses from private sector.
• Observers: Hokkaido Office of Forestry Agency, Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau, Hokkaido District Transport Bureau, Hokkaido Regional Environment Office

The Goal of "Team Minus 50%" Projects

Date City, Toyako Town, Toyoura Town and Soebetu Town have agreed on a policy to protect and conserve the nature of Lake Toya area with a target to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 50 % from the current level in equivalent of carbon dioxide. Corresponding to this agreement, "Team Minus 50% Project" has been launched mainly among the four municipalities to take immediate and concrete actions through projects that lowers the burdens on the environment as well as reduces the cost in businesses, focusing mainly on industrial and commercial facilities. By realizing the virtuous circle for the economy and environment in these projects, the project aims to pave the way for the 50% reduction in carbon dioxide emission, and eventually transform the area into an environmentally advanced tourist destination.

Current "Team Minus 50%" Projects

Multiple projects are currently in progress.

• Public relations through promotional posters and leaflets
• Developing the measuring method of carbon dioxide emission cuts
• Vegetable storage using thermal energy in snow (Toyako Town)
• SVF vehicles fueled by waste oil (Toyako Town)
• Pellet stove using wooden pellet (Toyako Town and Sobetsu Town)
• Heat pump system reusing heat of hot springs (Sobetsu Town)
• Wooden pellet production facility (Date City)
• Boilers in green houses in farm utilizing residual heat in charcoal kilns (Sobetsu Town)
• BDF production plant recycling waste oil (Date City)
• Pellet boiler in green houses in farms using wooden pellet (Date City)

Various other projects are currently being planed and conducted. The overall amount of the reduction in carbon dioxide yield by these projects is estimated about 1,800 tons per year.