Program Report | 2010
Pre-training ( Vietnam-August 2010)
Three day pre-training was conducted from August 3 to 5 at DENSO Manufacturing Vietnam (Day 1 only) and Sunway Hotel Hanoi (Day 2-3) in Vietnam, welcoming 23 participants, which aimed to introduce each other including both participants and staff members and help participants to learn the purpose & goal of the program as well as the general guidelines for the program.
The first day started with ice-breaking games and self introduction, followed by explanation of the program.
Next day, each country team made a presentation on their "country report" which explained about the environmental situation for each country. The length for each presentation was 15 minutes. Team Vietnam, as a host country, delivered the first presentation, followed by Team Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Japan. The issues raised by teams varied from nature conservation related matters such as fish bombing, illegal deforestation and endangered wild species to socio-environmental topics as pollution control, waste management and 3R.
On the final day, participants shared in turn, using the small posters, their interesting environmental issues. Then they discussed among themselves to share the issues. After that, they wrote down what they would like to learn from the on-site training and shared them among the participants. One of the most common answers was how they are able to raise environmental awareness. Other answers raised by participants were, for example, green technology and hands-on experience or learning real environmental issues.
Although the pre-training course was only for 3 days, participants seem to be ready for the forthcoming on-site training course.
On-site training 1: Mt. Fuji Phase (October 6-8)
Objective of the phase: Expiring all the blessings of nature, and learning the coexistence of the human and nature
October 6: Mt. Fuji Phase Day 1
Twenty-two participants from ASEAN countries and Japan gathered in Mt. Fuji YMCA Global Eco Village and orientation was held after participants' check-in. Opening speech was made by DENSO staff, and the whole schedule was checked by the program coordinator Mr. Shintani. After that, participants enjoyed the ice-breaking and team-building activities to get close to each other.
After dinner, the thought of environmental education through nature experience was introduced to participants. Followed by it, participants were divided into 5 groups and shared the opinion about (1) the most impressive natural scenery, (2) increase and decrease of nature experience activities compared to their own country's elder generation.
In the last, nature of Mt. Fuji and its culture were explained, and participants learned the history, relation between earthquakes and plates, animals and plants of Mt. Fuji, and so on.
October 7: Mt. Fuji Phase Day 2
Participants departed for the 5th station of Mt. Fuji, and trekked around Houei-crater. Thanks to wonderful weather, participants had enjoyed the magnificent scenery. Along the way, our instructor gave an explanation about the variety of lava and its process.
In the afternoon, participants moved to "Wakutama-ike" (pond), which is located in "Sengen-taisha" (Shinto Shrine). They had a demonstration and lecture of the clarity of water.
After that, they visited rice field in Yuno area, and heard the story of the local life from local people. Participants were divided into several groups, and experienced the home stay in local families. They received a big welcome and spent a whole evening with host family enjoying.
October 8: Mt. Fuji Phase Day 3
After saying farewell to the host family, participants gathered at the Whole Earth Nature School, and had a lecture about the nature school as one model of tackling the environmental issues.
After cooking Fujinomiya-yakisoba (local style fried noodle), participants helped the maintenance and operation of the bamboo forest. They experienced the whole process of bamboo cutting, such as cutting down the bamboo, cutting it to more portable size, and cutting off the branches. Furthermore, they learned the facts that rural depopulation is causing an insufficient maintenance of bamboo forests. Moreover, the chief priest from neighbor temple gave a speech of his thought to Shibakawa area.
On-site training 2: Lake Biwa Phase (October 10-12)
Objective of the Phase: Learning the vision of environmental coexistence with society through environment conservation activities conducted by citizens and government
October 10: Lake Biwa Phase Day 1
The first day of this phase started with the lecture about nature and history of Lake Biwa from an officer of Lake Biwa Restoration Division, Shiga Prefecture. Furthermore, an officer from Omi Environmental Conservation Foundation gave a lecture about the important role of reed in Lake Biwa. After these lectures, participants were divided into 2 groups, and participated in the fieldwork, such as traditional boat excursion and reed products making.
The traditional boat excursion group cruised Nishino-ko with the guide by a local boatman of Azuchi-Nishinoko-kankou (local boat company). Through the excursion, they could understand about the life in Lake Biwa as well as its ecosystem.
Rest of the participants, namely, a reed products making group was divided into two: chick blind; and reed torch making. Even though it was the first experience for everyone, they challenged and enjoyed the activities with support from local experts.
Having Obento (lunch box) which was made by local foodstuff, Women's group of the Azuchi Town Society of Commerce and Industry talked about practical use of reeds. For this example, the women's group had provided them a gelato, which was made from reed. Many participants were satisfied with its taste.
October 11: Lake Biwa Phase Day 2
On a clear day, participants left the Nagahama port and conducted a on-site training on the boat. Supported by Kankyo Lakers (Environmental Educations' group in Lake Biwa area), they conducted a water quality check, silt survey, and pH measurement survey. Participants could learn how the lake water is protected through these activities.
In the afternoon, guided by Committee of Shouzuno-sato in Takashima city, participants visited Kabata (lakeside community). Following voice was heard from participants. "I was surprised that Kabata is deeply entrenched in their local community", "I felt the beauty of nature through Kabata. Also, I felt respect to the culture of Kabata which is handed down from mother to daughter for generations."
In the evening, as a preparation for next day, participants played the role playing a game called "dragonfly pond" to understand the different stakeholders' standpoints and their opinions.
October 12: Lake Biwa Phase Day 3
After hearing the lecture about restoration of Hayazaki Lagoon, participants were divided into 3 groups to discuss the issues with related local people. After the discussion, each group presented the suggestions to the restoration project. Among the participants, many crucial questions were raised, such as "why don't citizens take an action to the situation of the restoration project which is postponed for more than 10 years?", "What is the background of the fact that the government who should take an initiative to the project does not move?", "How have the citizens' thoughts changed from the beginning of the project?". It was a very good experience for participants that they could learn the environmental issues from the ongoing controversial case.
On-site training 3: Aichi Phase (October 14-18)
Objective of the Phase:
(1) Learning the thought of industrial environmental load reduce through DENSO's environmental effort.
(2) Developing the abilities of problem finding and solving through making own action plan to conduct a original project for building a sustainable society.
October 14: Aichi Phase Day 1
Participants learned DENSO's social action program and environmental conservation as its CSR activities. Followed by the lectures, they participated in the cleaning activities, which DENSO is working with local people. Furthermore, participants learned about the social action program through the case called "DENSO Eco Point System (DECO-PON)" which DENSO is conducting with local NPOs.
October 15: Aichi Phase Day 2
Participants visited DENSO Anjo Plant, and had the lecture about the whole vision of environmental conservation activities, introduction of the water-saving activities in the factory, and way of use of the water in DENSO. They also learned about the alternator products and its production process, especially about water-saving activities in the production process and its effluent treatment facility. In addition, they toured the re-built factory to understand the resource saving by recycling.
October 16-17 : Making the Action PlanAfter reviewing the whole program, there was a group work which discussed about implementation methods of the action plan. Each group decided the sample case for building of a sustainable society. Followed by discussion about "background of the project", "target group", "main activities", "process to get consensus from stakeholders", "person in charge of the project", "methods of public awareness", "budget", "publication", "monitoring and evaluation", each group made a presentation in the form of summarized paper. Since it was the final phase of the whole DYEA program in the on-site training session, a lot of profound questions were raised from participants as well as members of the secretariat. From these presentations, not only the speakers but also other participants could learn important aspects for organizing their action plans.
October 18: Presentation of the Action
On the final day, participants presented their own ideas of the action plan in 5 minutes on each. Since there were several students in the department of science and engineering, a wide variety of the action plan was raised. For example, following action plans were presented. According to the increased demands of tropical fish as pet, the activity of raising citizens' awareness is needed by using multimedia (Thailand, major in journalism). Since the most customers of the shoe shop, which sells shoes with using recycled materials, did not know its environmental meanings, the activity of expanding green purchase is needed. These activities are targeted to the main consumer of the shop to tell importance of eco-friendliness (Indonesia, major in business). Since there is no strict disposal management of chemical substances in belonging department, activity of educating the proper way of disposal management to the university students is needed (Philippines, major in biochemistry). In closing, farewell party was held. Participants performed traditional dance of their country, and staff of the secretariat were also dressed in costumes. All the participants and staff had enjoyed the party, and 2010 on-site training was successfully ended.