The
exhibition started on March 25 and ended on September 25. The EXPO was
located at 200 miles south-west of Tokyo. There were 22 million visitors,
which is around 50% more than was expected. International Organizations
and 125 countries participated in the EXPO. It was packed with events
such as musical concerts, dance festivals, collections of relayed symposia
and other performances conveying the theme of the EXPO, "Nature's
Wisdom".
Some of the environmental issues presented were "Earth Day EXPO,"
which is a global movement for protection of the environment; a video
poem on the interrelationship of the environment, civilization and humankind;
and many other events related to environment. Other than promoting ideas
and displaying environmentally friendly technologies, the EXPO in itself
was environmental friendly. Below are several examples of techniques
and technologies being used at the site were environment acts as the
main aim to deal with.
The EXPO site was built according to the concept of promoting and applying
the 3R's: reduce, reuse and recycle. For example they dealt with one
of the main environmental issues: managing the waste generated at the
EXPO. They had 9 separate categories for disposal of garbage produced
by visitors, which were classified as such: 1) PET bottles; (2) paper
cups and paper containers; (3) plastics; (4) disposable wooden chopsticks;
(5) paper items; (6) raw waste; (7) burnable garbage; (8) nonburnable
garbage; and (9) leftover drinking water. On the other hand 17 categories
were classified for participants in the EXPO that included aluminum
cans, steel cans, bottles, cardboard boxes, and waste cooking oil. The
target from this is to recycle about 85% of the waste generated at the
EXPO.
Disposal of waste tires used to be a critical problem. Nowadays, after
being experimented at the EXPO site, waste tires were found to be useful
when used in paving. The experiment consisted of using waste tires instead
of stone to make a new kind of pavement called "porous elastic
road surface" (PERS) which is known for reducing noise levels,
preventing freezing and it acts as a shock absorbent.
Another concept the EXPO was promoting is the "Eco-community".
The concept included the use of many environmental friendly technologies
such as the biodegradable plastic eating utensils utilized at the food
and beverage facility in the EXPO site. They are produced from starch
of corn, so when they are disposed they decompose. Moreover, carbon
dioxide emissions would simply be from those absorbed by the corn through
photosynthesis which doesn't add up to greenhouse gas effect. Furthermore,
the Japan pavilion's wall was made of biodegradable material which generates
less waste. Going back to tradition, which is considered the safest
to the environment, the Japanese pavilions was inside a bamboo cage
that is 90 meters wide, 70 meters deep and 19 meters high, which would
block the sunlight and provide a cooler environment. This is known to
be an alternative to reduce on air-conditioning requirements.
Moreover, to save on greenhouse gas emissions, the Japan pavilions had
solar panels on its roof top so as to use the solar energy in order
to produce electricity for the pavilions. Also there was a windmill
that harnesses wind power, to be used as renewable energy, which is
known to be the safest for the environment. In addition, several types
of advanced fuel cells that convert methane and hydrogen gas into electricity
was used on the site.
Another innovation conveying the main theme of the EXPO is the "bio-lung",
which is a green wall of plants and flowers. The bio-lung is a prototype
for bringing natural processes into the heart of an urban environment.
The masses of green served as absorbace to carbon dioxide and emitting
oxygen. Morover, as natural source of cooling down the environment.
The bio-lung will improve the city's living environment and reduce its
environmental load.
More and more technologies conveying the theme "Nature's Wisdom";
for example using wood waste to make gears. Japan started the idea by
presenting a clock gear made of 100% wood. Also there was a new clothing
fabric, by scientists from Bath and Reading Universities, that can regulate
its temperature- cool in summer and warm in winter, which is based on
the structures of pine cones.
Another user friendly technology was brought into the EXPO considered
as "Lifestyle of the Future". It is the hybrid communicator
called "AL-MATE" that brings together the capabilities of
a cellular and a computer. There were two types of the AL-MATE; there
was the AL-MATE orange and AL-MATE blue. The orange one was available
for the disabled at the Japan Pavilions to assist them in getting around
and understanding displays, to send email messages to groups of people
simultaneously, retrieve internet information and use address books
for business contacts. The blue one was also made for Japan pavilions
visitors, but to be able to get detailed information on exhibits after
they return home, and can be used to confirm reservations.
Not forgetting the contribution of the transportation sector to the
greenhouse gas effect, several environmental friendly transportation
technologies were used at the EXPO for transporting people. Nagoya,
being the home town of Toyota, the Japanese biggest carmaker, produced
several environmental friendly transportation technologies to operate
at the EXPO. For example, the "Next-Generations Vehicles,"
a fuel cell hybrid bus that bus operates on motors that are powered
by high-pressure hydrogen-supplied fuel cells and a nickel metal hydride
secondary battery. This is known to not emit carbon dioxide or other
toxic substances like any other fuel. It is also known to be highly
energy-efficient and quiet. Another is the Intelligent Multimode Transportation
System (IMTS) that features the punctuality, high speed, and transportation
capacity of conventional railway mass transit systems such as trains
as well as the economic merit and flexibility of routed buses. And for
passengers, it offers the convenience of not having to make a transfer
from a train to a bus. As for environmental measures, it is mounted
with engines fueled with clean compressed natural gas (CNG). The I-unit,
which was a concept on "Mobility Extending Human Ability."
It's a single-passenger, futuristic vehicle that represents further
development and evolution of the PM exhibited at the 2003 Tokyo Motor
Show.
Under the theme "The Dream, Joy and Inspiration of Mobility in
the 21st Century", robots put on a show to welcome participants
into the world of the future. Moreover, there was the "Robot Project:
We Live in the Robot Age", which includes working robots that clean,
guide visitors, patrol, and fulfill other tasks. In specific there were
working robots for floor cleaning, garbage collection, security, guide,
child-care, and Next-Generation wheel chair robots. The garbage collection
robots replace filled bins with empty ones without running into passerby.
As part of the educational program of the EXPO several activities took
place. One of these is having three different Eco tours. One of them
is the "backyard tour" which includes members of governmental
agencies, business entities and students, who are interested in environmental
technology. The participants will study ultramodern technologies adopted
at EXPO 2005, including a new energy facility that generates power from
garbage discarded at restaurants inside the venues, to supply electricity
required at Japan Pavilion Nagakute; and a hydrogen fuel-supplying facility
that refuels fuel cell-powered vehicles. A second tour was the "kids"
tour where they will be shown around diverse environmentally conscious
facilities. The last tour is the "self eco tour" for visitors.
Another activity, which was planned and implemented before the EXPO
project, was under the title of "Experience Nature" program
contributing to global forestation. This program included planting trees
that occurred on three different dates, resulting in the planting of
a total of 35,150 seedlings varying in kind.
The participating countries invested in the EXPO, and presented various
issues. For example, the Australian pavilion symbolized the need to
preserve Australia's unique environment for future generations. The
South African pavilions had a main theme, "Rhythm of Life",
showing dramatic snapshots on South African stories before the dinosaurs
through human settlement, conquest, liberation and the ultimate celebration
of freedom. The Spanish pavilions presented some cultural events and
displayed some of its own material for sale such as ceramic hexagon,
that was shipped from Spain to Japan. Its main theme was "sharing
the art and wisdom of life". There were arab countires that participated
in the EXPO as well. For example at the Qatar pavilions someone was
weaving, another was making wooden ships and one was carbing gypsum.
As for Egypt pavilions, had a main aim, which is to deepen the interest
and knowledge of visitors about Egypt and its ancient civilization.
Saudi Arabia was hoping that visitors will feel the wisdom of ilamic
culture about the natural environemnt and deepen understanding about
islam. They had a disoplat composed of building showing the lifestyle,
culture and wisdom that are evident in the lifestyles of the people
in the desert. Each of the 125 countries presented events and displays
showing culture, tradition, technology, art, etc.
After the EXPO ended the pavilions were taken down and the site was
restored to its original state - a heavily wooded public park.
With human technology placing so much pressure on the environment, the
EXPO introduced visitors to the many ways in which advanced technology
could still be kind to nature. The EXPO succeeded in proving that being
environmentally-conscious does not imply backwardness. With fantastic
technology on display, the future looks prosperous, clean, and hopefully,
green!
|
