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Did I tell you about Earth Day in Ota? If so, let me tell you again. The AETs and the Friday Club (women who meet on Fridays to study English) held another Earth Day event this year. The past years, we have had a trash walk, listened to speeches, and a band, and done face painting. This year, we wanted to educate people, and have a good time. Why, because last year people didn't grasp the meaning of the day. A kindly member of the FC made the AETs lunch, to thank us for our help. That was very kind, but there were some problems with the lunch. She gave us plastic cups, disposable wooden chopsticks (waribashi), and individually wrapped, bite-size sandwiches. And dessert was, as usual, home-made yogurt, in individual-size plastic containers (which she never re-uses). Not an environmentally friendly lunch. So this year, we made posters, talked about the event at school, made a skit, and had a discussion with the Friday Club about what we wanted to accomplish. So, Earth Day started out with a bang. We did the trash walk, then assembled at Chuo Park for the poster presentation, and skit. But this is where things went wrong. During the skit, it began to sprinkle. That was the end of Earth Day. Everyone left. Even so, people had time to look at the posters and see part of the skit. We hope it impacted some people. But, the message wasn't strong enough for the Friday Club. The kind lady brought us lunch again. We used disposable chopsticks and plastic cups. The yogurt was served in cups we rescued from the trash the last time we were given it, but she gave us disposable plastic spoons, and the sandwiches were individually wrapped, yet again. I should note that Japanese have a thing about disposable utensils. Whenever I visit a friend's house, I am given waribashi. I think to use someone else's chopsticks is like wearing their underwear of something (the thoughts expressed in this edition are mine, and mine alone). Forks and knives are ok to share, and at school, we use plastic chopsticks everyday, but there must be some reason Japanese don't like to use other people's chopsticks. Anyway, they are also peculiar about spoons. When I buy yogurt, ice cream, and other spoon-requiring foods, the store clerk always offers me a small paper, plastic, or wooden spoon. Even when we eat it at school, I am given a paper spoon, yes, even if we already have a spoon for the main meal! By the way, I am out of the country until the 9th. I am off to Korea for a Habitat for Humanity project. Valerie Straayer |