Coca-Cola Environmental Initiatives

Transcription

1 Supplement to the Coca-Cola Sustainability Report2009 Coca-Cola Environmental Initiatives The Coca-Cola system strives to reduce environmental impact in all aspects of its business operations in order to leave our irreplaceable nature and resources to posterity through the sustainable growth of its business. With development of the next generation in mind, it also pays particular attention to providing environmental education and raising environmental awareness through a wide range of activities for young people and local communities. Environmental Management System Business Activities and Environmental Impact ekosystem The Coca-Cola system employs a proprietary environmental management system, ekosystem, worldwide in all of its operations to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities, including the production, transportation, sales, collection and recycling of beverage products. This environmental management system adheres to environmental requirements outlined in The Coca-Cola Management System (TCCMS) and was designed to agree with the corporate structure of a soft drink manufacturer, based on the international management system standard ISO and other standards. It facilitates system architecture and operation in countries throughout the world. It was gradually introduced in Japan from 2002, and has been integrated in operations at all Coca-Cola system companies since. Based on the three major pillars of the environment, community and economy, ekosystem emphasizes improvement in water, energy and solid waste the main areas where soft drink manufacturers have an impact on the environment. Distinctive Features of ekosystem 3 Pillars ekosystem is based on the three pillars of the environment, community and economy Environment ekosystem aims to continue reducing the environmental impact generated at every stage of the business process Community ekosystem promotes the proactive disclosure of information regarding our environmental initiatives, enabling us to fulfill our social responsibilities Economy ekosystem aims to conduct ongoing efforts to strengthen the Coca-Cola system through cost reduction and other efforts 2 Objectives ekosystem encompasses all of our business operations, from planning to production, distribution, sales, collection and recycling, with the goal of harmonizing corporate growth with environmental protection Reducing Environmental Impact ekosystem seeks to reduce our total environmental impact in terms of plants, offices, delivery trucks, vending machines and other factors Improving Operational Efficiency ekosystem promotes operational efficiency through the conservation of energy and other resources with the aim of reducing costs 3 Areas of Continual Improvement The Coca-Cola system implements a variety of system-wide improvement programs based on the PDCA (plan, do, check, act) cycle. They focus on the three principal areas where the soft drink industry has an impact on the environment Water Management ekosystem works to increase the efficiency of water usage and reduce the amount of wastewater Energy Management ekosystem works to increase energy efficiency and reduce CO2 and other emissions into the atmosphere Waste Management ekosystem carefully controls the usage of raw materials and works to reduce t h e a m o u n t o f s o l i d w a s t e a n d strengthen recycling activities

2 ❶ Water-Related Initiatives By promoting the Water Stewardship strategy, the Coca-Cola system is advancing initiatives in the areas of water source preservation, water usage efficiency and wastewater management. Water is the basic ingredient of our products, and for the Coca-Cola system, as a soft drink manufacturer, it is the fundamental and most important resource. The depletion of this essential resource is a serious issue the world over, and initiating efforts to ensure sustainable usage of clean water is a pressing issue for corporations and local communities alike. The Coca-Cola system worldwide, which globally produces and provides beverages, has for many years continued carrying out initiatives for sustainable use of water resources as part of its corporate social responsibility. With the rapid changes taking place in the earth s environment in recent years, the company has set itself the goal of becoming a global leader of water resources management by the year Since the year, it has globally implemented the Water Stewardship strategy, which strategically promotes the three actions of reducing the water used to produce its beverages, recycling water used for beverage manufacturing processes, and replenishing water in local communities and nature. Based on this strategy the Coca-Cola system in Japan has improved the environmental performance at its plants and proactively carried out water environment conservation activities in various regions in Japan through appropriate water intake, water quality management, efficient use of water, and wastewater management. We intend to further expand our water preservation efforts outwards from the areas where our plants are located with the aim of harmoniously coexisting with the environment and local communities, which will become increasingly important in the future. Source Water Protection Project The Coca-Cola Company, under a commitment to Water Stewardship, is pushing ahead with a worldwide Source Water Protection project as a long-term initiative. Water sources for plants will be identified and plans for assessing source vulnerability and preserving sources will be formulated. Central to the project will be planning and implementation of community programs through coordination and collaboration with stakeholders in the vicinity of plants. In Japan, the Daisen Plant of Coca-Cola West Daisen Products Co., Ltd. and the Tokai Plant of Coca-Cola Central Japan Products Co., Ltd., as pilot plants, have begun surveying water sources in line with the project. Results of those surveys will form the basis for extending project implementation to all domestic plants by Activity Report for In, the Coca-Cola system continued with initiatives implemented in the previous year to manage wastewater, preserve water sources and address water efficiency. Although the volume of water used in production during increased to million cubic meters, with wastewater volume rising to million cubic meters, in line with an increase in production due to favorable sales conditions, the volume of water use ratio* fell slightly. By pushing forward with the use of recovered water, the Coca-Cola system was able to reduce the water use ratio. The system is also striving to ensure wastewater management based on standards in line with The Coca-Cola Management System (TCCMS), the Coca-Cola system s global management system. As a part of its watershed protection activities, the Coca-Cola system has been conveying the importance of preserving forests, which influence the quality and volume of water at the source. Such efforts are being pursued through the afforestation and nature walk activities conducted under the Learn from the Forest environmental education program, which marked its fourth anniversary and is implemented in collaboration with the bottling partners throughout Japan. * The volume of water required when producing 1L of product Partnership with WWF The Coca-Cola Company and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have conducted numerous projects, including fresh water resources conservation activities and those that address water use efficiency. Announced in, some $20 million in funds were pledged to this partnership until 2010, but in this was extended until 2012 with an additional $3.75 million in funds provided. This will be of use in helping to conserve seven of the world s most critical river basins, effectively managing water used in The Coca-Cola Company s operations and the global supply chain, and reducing CO2 emissions, among other efforts. Furthermore, in October, the Coca-Cola system expanded its partnership with the WWF, announcing new international goals for water resource conservation and climate change countermeasures. At the same time, The Coca-Cola Company joined the Climate Savers Program, a collaborative initiative targeting dramatic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in collaboration with WWF. If we aggregate their targets, the participating corporations will collectively reduce emissions by approximately 14 million tons by A 14 million-ton emissions reduction is equivalent to taking more than three million cars off the road each year. Improving Water Usage Efficiency The Coca-Cola system in Japan uses around 6.18L of water to make 1L of product. Water is mainly used to extract teas and coffees and to clean and sterilize containers and manufacturing lines. In addition to thorough management of water consumption in manufacturing processes at plants, we are working hard to promote water reuse. For example, plants retain some of the water used for rinsing containers in order to reuse it in washing plant floors and cases for returnable glass bottles. Reused water eventually undergoes purification, mainly using systems based on an activated sludge process that makes use of microorganisms, and is released as wastewater after clearing voluntary water quality standards that are stricter than government-enforced standards.

3 Wastewater Management based on Voluntary Standards In, the Coca-Cola system updated its voluntary guidelines on wastewater management, redoubling its efforts in that area in all of the regions that it operates.all plants that manufacture The Coca-Cola Company s products are subject to these guidelines, which apply to all wastewater (process wastewater, stormwater, cooling water and sewage water, and which are stricter than those established in Japan to govern water quality. Water (Input / Output) Water Consumption Breakdown of Wastewater Discharged Breakdown of (in thousand cubic meters) Water Consumption (in thousand cubic meters) Wastewater Discharged () Water use ratio (L/L) 2,586 2,567 2,600 2,733 2,743 Well water Tap 上水 water Industrial 工業用水 water 52% 19% 29% 1,721 1,739 1,812 1,920 2,008 Discharged into rivers, streams and oceans Discharged into sewage systems ❷ Energy-Related Initiatives We strive to help prevent global warming by ensuring efficient energy consumption at all stages, from production to sales The Coca-Cola system is promoting various strategies and initiatives aimed at achieving its medium-term target and plan 1 to reduce CO2 emissions from all business processes, including production, distribution/transportation, sales and office administration, by approximately 360 thousand tons (roughly 18.5%), compared to the level, by the year The area of forest needed to absorb this goal of 360 thousand tons worth of CO2 would cover approximately 50% of the Tokyo area In, revisions were made retroactively as far back as the base year () for the following reasons. The scope of calculations for manufacturing plants was changed The basis for calculating some of the data has been changed due to an improvement in data collection accuracy 2. Conversions assume CO2 absorption per hectare of forest is 3.3 tons. 1.The amount of CO2 emitted when producing 1L of product 3.The amount of CO2 emitted during transportation of 1L of product from production sites to sales outlets 4 No jacket, no tie and warm clothing campaigns advocated by Japan s Ministry of the Environment, the objective being to lessen the need for air-conditioning and heating in offices and hence save energy The Coca-Cola system s total numerical targets Production Sales by 2010 compared to the level Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions Offices Examine the switch to natural gas, the adoption of cogeneration systems and the introduction of clean energy sources, etc. Improve the accuracy of supply Distribution and demand, integrate distribution & centers, reorganize distribution Transportation and transportation routes, adopt l o w - e m i s s i o n v e h i c l e s a n d promote eco-driving, etc. Advance the development and introduction of energy-saving vending machines, etc. Improve temperature management, continue with Cool Biz and Warm Biz 3, etc. Reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 360,000 tons (roughly 18.5%) Targets (compared to base year ) ー 5.6% 22,651t CO2 emission ratio % CO2 emission ratio 4 ー 30.6% 357,195t ー 2.1% 1,168t 10 20,707t ー 3.8% Activity Report for The amount of energy consumed in all the business processes during fell 2.4% compared to the previous year, with CO2 emissions down 2.1%. This is a decrease in total CO2 emissions of 11.2% compared to (base year) levels. For production processes, energy consumption increased by 0.5% compared to the previous year, while total CO2 emissions fell by 0.8% compared to the previous year. The contributing factors behind this were a decrease in the ratio of heavy oil A* used, together with an increase in the usage ratio of processed natural gas, natural gas, and other energy sources that produce low CO2 emissions. Production volumes increased 1.3% compared to the previous year, with CO2 emissions per 1L of product made improving by approximately 2%. This was the result of ongoing efforts to switch to natural gas as an energy source as well as to introduce cogeneration systems that effectively use waste heat produced when generating electricity. For distribution processes, both energy consumption and CO2 emissions volumes increased 4.6% compared to the previous year. For sales processes, both energy consumption and CO2 emissions volumes decreased 4.8% compared to the previous year due to the introduction of energy-saving vending machines. In the Coca-Cola system s offices, energy consumption and CO2 emissions volumes increased 0.6% and 1%, respectively, compared to the previous year. Production Sales (Vending machines) Energy Consumption (in thousand gigajoules) CO2 Emissions (in thousand tons) Distribution Offices ,726 2,599 2,492 2,346 2, CO2 emissions originating from electrical generation are calculated using the CO2 emissions factor of 0.421kg CO2/kWh (level for ) that was announced by the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan in CO2 emissions originating from fuel are calculated using the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculation and Reporting Manual: Ver.2.3 (Ministry of the Environment; Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; May ) *Heavy oil A possesses the lowest level of kinetic viscosity of any of the three oils in the heavy oil category (Japan Industrial Standards)

4 Production To fulfill its medium-term reduction targets of cutting total CO2 emissions and the CO2 emission ratio (the amount of CO2 emitted for every 1L of product) by 5.6% and 10%, respectively, in production processes by the year 2010 compared to levels, the Coca-Cola system has completed the switchover to alternative energy sources in 16 of the 30 plants that it operates and the installation of cogeneration systems in seven plants, as of December 31,. In addition to proceeding with the switchover to alternative energy sources and introducing cogeneration systems, the Coca-Cola system is also pushing forward CO2 emissions reductions by bolstering its productivity improvement strategies. Energy Consumption for Production (Input / Output) Energy Consumption (in thousand gigajoules) Breakdown of Energy Consumption CO2 Emissions (in thousand tons) Electricity Heavy oil A Processed natural gas Natural gas % 18.2% 35.1% LPG 2.6% Kerosene0.3% Distribution/Transportation The Coca-Cola system is working to make the processes of transportation from plants to distribution centers and warehouses, and then on to sales outlets, more efficient by integrating distribution bases and revising routes. In addition, we are encouraging eco-driving and the adoption of low-emission vehicles such as natural gas and hybrid vehicles to reduce the environmental impact of automobiles. As of December 31,, we had purchased 294 natural gas vehicles and 324 hybrid vehicles. Plans call for the continuation of efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in terms of both operations and the vehicles employed. Energy Consumption for Distribution/Transportation (Input / Output) Energy Consumption (in thousand gigajoules) CO2 Emissions (in thousand tons) Sales In its sales processes, the Coca-Cola system in Japan is striving to meet its target of reducing total CO2 emissions by 30.6% by the year 2010 compared to levels. The system is also working together with vending machine manufacturers to develop and adopt energy-saving models. In, efforts to switch to energy-saving machines led to a 4.8% reduction in CO2 emissions as of December 31, over the previous year. Furthermore, as part of its measures to help prevent global warming, the Coca-Cola system is continuing to switch to HFC-free vending machines that do not use alternative chlorofluorocarbon, and had introduced some 18,000 machines as of December 31,. Of these, approximately 15,000 HFC-free vending machines that employ heat pump technology, which achieves extensive reductions in the amount of electricity consumed, have been introduced the ecoru/e40 is a prime example of such models. Highly evaluated for their low-environmental-impact design and disaster -relief features, ecoru/e40 models have been installed throughout the premises of Kyoto municipal subway facilities in. Energy Consumption for Sales (Input / Output) Energy Consumption (in thousand gigajoules) CO2 Emissions (in thousand tons) 2,726 2,599 2,492 2,346 2,

5 Office-Related Initiatives Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd. is carrying out activities to manage the everyday energy use at its offices through efforts that include the Team Minus 6% 1 initiative to help combat global warming as well as the Cool Biz 2 measure during the summer months. The company continues to reduce both electricity and gas consumption at its head office, sales offices and distribution sites, and is also considering upgrading facilities so that they become more energy efficient. 1.This is a project being led by the Japanese government to achieve the goal stipulated in the Kyoto Protocol of reducing greenhouse gases. 2. No jacket, no tie clothing campaigns advocated by Japan s Ministry of the Environment, the objective being to lessen the need for air-conditioning in offices and hence save energy. Coating the Exterior Walls of the Main Building of Coca-Cola Japan Shibuya Head Office and Planting Vegetation on its Roof The coating added to the exterior walls of the Coca-Cola Japan s head office in contains an environmentally considerate substance that is a photocatalyst. When coming into contact with sunlight or rain, a photocatalyst has the characteristics of: (1) being environmentally considerate, cleaning the air, and enhancing energy efficiency; (2) serving as an anti-foulant; and (3) enhancing durability. The company also planted Hedera canariensis, a type of ivy, on the roof of the head office building, in pursuit of the goal of contributing to a reduction in CO2. ❸ Waste-Related Initiatives We will maintain zero emissions status at plants to ensure we are using limited resources with care and without waste. Through the strengthening of 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) activities, we are working to reduce waste volumes and promote recycling in each stage of the product life cycle. Activity Report for In Coca-Cola Japan s plants achieved a recycling rate of 99.7% for the solid waste generated from manufacturing processes, marking the fifth consecutive year, since, to attain zero emissions (achieving a recycling rate of over 99.5%). The quantity of solid waste generated in was 131,000 tons, and the quantity of recycled waste was 130,000 slight increases over the previous year. Effective Uses of Coffee Grounds and Used Tea Leaves Coffee grounds and used tea leaves are a byproduct of the manufacturing process of extracting coffee and tea. In recent years, with the increase in the volume of production of coffee and tea drinks, the volume of solid waste consisting of coffee grounds and used tea leaves has also been rising. In, raw materials (concentrate, coffee beans, tea leaves, glass bottles, cans, PET bottles, etc.) amounted to a total of approximately 1.06 million tons, while solid waste was approximately 131,000 tons. The Coca-Cola system advanced efforts to make effective use of coffee grounds and used tea leaves as a continuing resource by recycling 100% of such matter, which makes up roughly 80% of all solid waste Reducing the Volume of Used Tea Leaves Since, Coca-Cola East Japan Products Co., Ltd. s Ebina Plant has been running a highly efficient drying system that uses the exhaust heat from a cogeneration system, which enables weight and volume reductions of 80% and 60%, respectively, in the amount of used tea leaves generated. Used tea leaves generated Drying by means of the exhaust heat from cogeneration system Weight and volume reductions of 80% and 60%, respectively CO2 emissions reductions in transportation Fertilizer, feed for livestock, etc Creating Biomass Energy from Solid Waste Coca-Cola Central Japan Products Co., Ltd. s Tokai Kita Plant has achieved a reduction in the volume of solid waste generated of approximately 90% by fermenting coffee grounds, used tea leaves and the sludge from processed wastewater and converting them to energy sources. Recycling as Pocket Warmers (Joint Project for Recycling Resources In January, the Coca-Cola system began a project in which coffee grounds generated from three of its Kanto plants are re-used in disposable pocket warmers in collaboration with the non-profit organization (NPO), Japan Carbonization Research Association*. Hakugen Co., Ltd. began selling pocket warmers using activated carbon manufactured from materials (coffee grounds) supplied by a soft drink manufacturer for the first time ever in January * An NPO established with the objective of building a recycling-oriented society through the carbonization of waste

6 Vending Machine Intermediate Processing Center Commences Operation The Coca-Cola system in Japan is striving to help build a recycling-based society through our social responsibility efforts. As a leader in environmental efforts, we are also aiming to increase corporate value, and working toward strengthening effective utilization of resources and appropriate recycling. In April, Coca-Cola West Co., Ltd., which produces and sells Coca-Cola system products in the Kitakyushu, Chugoku and Kinki areas, established the Kitakyushu Sawayaka Recycling Center and commenced operations at this, Japan s first ever facility specializing in intermediate processing of vending machines, which are major assets of the Coca-Cola system. By utilizing this facility, which is established in Kitakyushu Eco-Town (Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture), the Coca-Cola system can treat used vending machines that previously had been consigned to local governments and private treatment facilities, making it possible for the system to dismantle them, recovering hazardous substances and bolstering the effective reuse of resources. This is the first time a beverage manufacturer has operated an intermediate vending machine processing facility of this size. Effective Utilization of Concentrate Packaging Materials Coca-Cola Japan s Moriyama Plant manufactures Coca-Cola and other beverage concentrate, which is then shipped to plants of bottling partners. By making it easier to recycle or reuse concentrate packaging and other materials, the Moriyama Plant is contributing to waste reductions at the plants of bottling partners. Reusable Eco Bands To stabilize loads to prevent cargo collapse during, Moriyama Plant uses Eco Bands, which can be used any number of times. Yupo Labels for Easy Removal and Sorting In distribution, labels displaying product names and ingredients are an important source of information. For affixing to corrugated cardboard boxes, Moriyama plant prefers to use Yupo labels, which use special materials that are easy to remove and, once removed, no longer affixable. Boxes which have had their labels removed are also reused. Amount of Solid Waste Generated and Recycling Status 99.6% 99.7% 99.6% 99.7% 99.7% Coffee grounds/used tea leaves Sludge Paper/Cartons 3.2% Plastic 2.6% Glass 1.5% Metal1.9% Other 0.7% Solid waste generated (in thousand tons) Solid waste recycled (in thousand tons) Recycling rate (%) Initiatives at Offices At Coca-Cola Japan s offices, the sorting and recycling of paper is being conducted by placing recycling bins and newspaper/magazine boxes on every floor, while similar efforts for post-consumer containers are being thoroughly implemented by providing Recycling Stations to collect glass bottles, cans, PET bottles and paper cups. Furthermore, a 10% reduction in the amount of organic waste generated by the cafeteria has been achieved by employing a waste disposal unit, and this waste is ultimately processed and recycled as organic fertilizer.

7 ❹ Initiatives Aimed at Containers and Packaging The Coca-Cola system is pursuing sustainable packaging by reviewing its containers and packaging from the viewpoint of their life cycle. The Coca-Cola system is making a global effort to implement sustainable packaging. Accordingly, it is promoting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse,Recycle) from the perspective of the life cycle of its products, from R&D right through to collection and recycling. R&D Research and development of lightweighting measures for packaging and easy-to-remove labels Production / Distribution Reduce CO2 emissions during transportation to plants by using PET pre-forms Sales Encourage the separation of garbage and discourage littering through product packaging, POP and in-store posters Recycling / Procurement Procure recycled raw materials Collection Intermediate Processing Provide collection boxes for post-consumer packaging and transport to Coca-Cola system recycling centers Activity Report for In, the Coca-Cola system proceeded with ongoing initiatives for PET bottles to promote efforts to save resources and energy. It implemented innovations for container and packaging materials, manufacturing techniques, as well as expanding the usage applications of recycled PET and employing labels made using new materials. Furthermore, the Coca-Cola system strove to improve the collection rate of post-consumer containers and packaging through industrial organizations to promote the recycling in society as a whole. Lightweighting Measures for Packaging Since 1970, the Coca-Cola system has been striving to reduce the weight of its product packaging. It has pushed forward with efforts to economize on the amount of materials used and efficiently use limited resources by reducing the weight of packaging. As a result of this, so far the system has been able to achieve the following substantial reductions in the weight of containers. The Coca-Cola system intends to continue to drive lightweighting measures for packaging, bearing in mind consumer needs and environmental impact. 190ml steel cans: -21% (compared to 1968 level) 350ml aluminum cans: -18% (compared to 1968 level) 1.5L PET bottles: -36% (compared to 1982 level) Introduction of the ecoru Bottle The ecoru Bottle Raku-mochi was introduced in February The new 2L PET bottles used for the sports drink Aquarius and unsweetened tea drink Sokenbicha weighed 47g, a 10g reduction compared to the original bottles used at the time of their launch in Furthermore, the Coca-Cola system managed to achieve a 2L PET bottle weighting 38g for its water products the lightest bottle of its kind in Japan*. As the name Raku-mochi (easily-held) suggests, all of these PET bottles make it easy to hold and pour. Then in May 2009, the 520ml ecoru Bottle Shiboru PET bottle first appeared as the container for I LOHAS, the new water brand. Weighing 12g, around 40% lighter than previous Coca-Cola system water product containers, ecoru Bottle Shiboru is Japan s lightest* bottle for water products in the 500ml weight class. The bottle is lightweight and strong, and is designed for easy crushing after drinking. By adopting these lightweight containers, we aim to reduce PET bottle raw materials by around 5,000 tons in * According to research by Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd. as of March 2009 Reducing the Weight of Labels he Coca-Cola system has also been proceeding with efforts to reduce the weight of labels in line with lightweighting measures for packaging. Labels employing olefin resin with its low specific gravity (olefin labels) achieved a reduction of approximately 30% in the amount of resin used per label compared to conventional PET resin, and as well as reducing the weight, helped to cut the amount of resources used. The Coca-Cola system has been expanding its use of olefin labels for products since. Furthermore, for the labels of certain heated products that require heat resistance, the system continues to make strenuous efforts to maintain heat-resistance while improving ease of removing labels, reducing the amount of resin used and minimizing the impact on the environment as much as possible by employing triple-layered labels of thin and light OPS materials compressed between PET materials. In 2009, the Coca-Cola system also started to introduce roll labels for 520ml PET bottles of I LOHAS water that are lighter and easier to remove.

8 Utilizing Recycled PET Materials As part of our green purchasing program in which we give priority to purchasing environmentally-friendly products and services, we are actively promoting purchase and utilization of employee uniforms, post-consumer container collection boxes, and other products that use recycled PET materials. By June 2009, we had purchased 55,000 employee uniforms that used recycled PET materials and about 76,000 post-consumer container collection boxes used for PET bottle recycling. This means that we have recycled more than approximately 7.5 million 500ml PET bottles (25g each). Post-consumer Container Recycling Centers As part of our efforts to promote recycling, group companies of six bottling partners operate recycling centers where collected post-consumer containers undergo sorting, compression and other processes. The Hokuriku Recycling Center Co., Ltd., an affiliate company of Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd., which meets the requirements under the Container and Packaging Recycling Law and has been authorized to handle recyclable PET bottles, undertakes recycling of post-consumer containers collected by local governments. This enables recycling of not only the bottling partner s own products but also all locally collected post-consumer containers. ❺ Contribution to the Local Community We will communicate the importance of protecting the environment through activities with close ties with local communities. Learn from the Forest Project The Coca-Cola system in Japan has been promoting the Learn from the Forest project since with support from the Ministry of the Environment and the Forest Agency. This environmental education project for the younger generation is part of the watershed protection activities that the system conducts on a global scale. The project is implemented under the theme of water, an essential natural resource, and forests, where water is nurtured, and aims to help children understand the importance of nature conservation through hands-on experience in environmental education. In addition to offering activities, the Learn from the Forest project also provides information about forests and nature on its website. Participation in one of the program events or passing a certification test found on the website earns visitors a Forest Doctorate certificate. As of December, there are over 30,000 people who hold a Forest Doctorate in Japan. Ten correspondents from the Forest Doctorate participated in the Coca-Cola Environmental Forum, which was held during August in Hokkaido, where the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit took place. They had an opportunity of not only learning about Hokkaido s wildlife but also getting a taste of wider global issues by experiencing the Summit. Support for the green bird Community Cleanup Campaign The Coca-Cola system has been supporting NPO, green bird, which runs community cleanup campaigns nationwide, since December. In January 2009, we sponsored the Start Eco 2009 Shibuya & Harajuku 100-Person Cleanup Project, organized by green bird and Sotokoto magazine, in which more than 150 people partook in a cleanup of Tokyo s Shibuya and Harajuku areas for over an hour and a half, during which they filled around sixty 45L garbage bags with litter. PET bottles and cans retrieved were recycled. Employees from Coca-Cola Japan also volunteered. From March to May 2009, we implemented a Coca-Cola Happy Eco Campaign under the concept of making the world a happier place through positive action and sold Coca-Cola Happy Cans on which we declared our support for green bird. On May 30, 2009, we carried out the first ever simultaneous nationwide cleanup campaign together with the 28 (as of June 2009) green bird teams nationwide and 12 bottling partners. More than 1,100 people took part in the campaign around the country. Recycling Stations In, Coca-Cola system employees and members belonging to Kankyo Sanshiro, an environmental club at the University of Tokyo, carried out a study of curbside post-consumer container collection boxes to ascertain the extent to which general trash was being inserted and to come up with solutions. Based on the finding that some improvement was observed by placing simple displays illustrating how recycling works on post-consumer collection boxes, we created kits called Recycling Stations, consisting of post-consumer container collection boxes and educational panels on recycling. Recycle Stations have since been deployed at events such as the Suzuka 8 Hours motorcycle endurance race and Bikkuri! Eco Hyaku-sen environmental exhibits, and have also been placed on Coca-Cola Japan premises as we work to provide education on recycling efforts and raise awareness. Exhibition at Eco Style Fair In December, Coca-Cola Japan exhibited at Eco Style Fair, Japan s largest comprehensive environmental convention, held at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center. Based on the concept Future Coca-Cola Factory, the company set up four booths on the product life cycle: production, distribution and sales, collection and recycling, and CSR. While experiencing a simulated factory visit, visitors enjoyed learning about the Coca-Cola system s environmental initiatives as it aims to help realize a recycling-oriented society. When building its exhibition booths, Coca-Cola Japan actively used recycled, renewable, and reusable materials to reduce their impact on the environment and to minimize the volume of industrial waste generated.