Tuesday, October 02, 2012

The University of Tsukuba CE Science and Maths C1 - Week 5

Hello everyone,
Today's reading is called Waste not, want not. In Japanese we have a similar saying,  勿体無い (Mottainai), which expresses regret concerning waste. Mottainai is an important part of Japanese culture. You can see "mottainai" written in many places in Japan including on Pizza Hut boxes.

However, despite the importance of mottainai in Japanese culture, there is a lot of waste, especially food waste. 


According to the Japan Times, about 23 million tons of food were discarded in 2007, which was worth about ¥11 trillion ($120 billion).  Japan's annual agricultural output is worth about ¥11 trillion too. So that means that Japan wasted as much food as it produced. Furthermore, it cost ¥2 trillion ($21 billion) to process that waste. What do you think of that? 



Another thing that is wasted all over the world is water. 
Today we are going to read about reclaimed water.
First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: CE Science and Math C1 Vocabulary.

Now let's read the article and answer the questions.




Finally, please post a comment. Do you waste a lot of food? Is Mottainai important to you? How do you practice Mottainai?
See you next week!



20 comments:

  1. Shunsuke1:19 pm

    Hi Michael.
    I don`t waste a lot of food because I bought only the minimum required amount of food.
    Mottainai is important to me because it is affected not only ecology but also money.
    I practice Mottainai not to keep the water running while I brush my teeth.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hikaru Anai10:10 am

    Do you waste a lot of food?
    Yes.
    Is Mottainai important to you?
    Yes.
    How do you practice Mottainai?
    I eat everything as possible as I do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. kimika.M4:05 pm

    I don't waste a lot of food.
    Because food is very important in order that we live.
    Mottainai is important for me.
    I practice Mottainai when someone save a lot of food.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ayumi4:05 pm

    I don't waste a food.
    Because Food is precious.
    Farm hand pours his energies into growing crop.
    We have to treat crops with care.
    So,Mottainai is very important.
    I practice Mottainai for cooking and eating.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Michael,
    How are you?
    Sometimes I waste foods because I'm too busy to cook for a couple of days. Fresh vegetables are getting bad so early.
    But Mottainai is important to me. Because I think all the people have to think about environment of the earth now.
    I usually make some oolong tea and then I put them into a bolltle and take with me to out. So that I don't have to buy drinks when I get thirsty. It is Mottainai Practice.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MASAKI TAKAHASHI12:25 am

    Hi Michael !!
    How are you.I enjoy the university.
    Do you waste a lot of food?
    No,I dont waste foods.I eat all foods I received.
    Is Mottainai important to you?
    Yes,I am. I always think of it.
    How do you practice Mottainai?
    I practice it when I see a poster "TURN OFF THE LIGHT"

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi,Michael!
    I don't waste a lot of food.Mottainai is important to me.
    Because I experienced that much food ran short in the supermarket at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
    I always have my chopsticks and don't waste disposable chopsticks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rikuo Akisaka12:05 pm

    Hello Micheal. I am Rikuo.
    I'd like to answer your question.

    Do you waste a lot of food?
    >I think I do so.
    >because I hardly make my meal by my self. And I eat fast food.

    Is Mottainai Important to you?
    >I think Mottainai is important, but I can't do so.

    How do you practice Mottainai?
    >I want to make my meal more often.

    I don't study towards the middle test yet.
    I will do my best tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kou Tanaka5:52 pm

    Do you waste a lot of food?
    No.
    Is Mottainai important to you?
    Yes.
    How do you practice Mottainai?
    I don't keep on taking water.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kyoko8:25 pm

    Hi,Michael

    I often waste a lot of food because I can`t eat all when I eat out at a restaurant.I also can`t use all of food stuffs in the fridge.So some food go bad.

    I think Mottainai is important to me.I feel guilty when I waste a lot of food because there are many people who can`t eat enough.

    I don`t use the air conditioner untill I can`t stand for cold or hot.

    See you tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Rei Watanabe10:57 pm

    Hello Micheal. I am Rei.

    I waste little food.
    When I eat food, I never leave food.
    I eat all food,even if it takes a lot of time.

    Mottainai is important to me.
    Since my parents' home is not rich, I have to save.

    I practice Mottainai when I see poster of "Please classify garbage."
    If we classify garbage, we can recycly.




    ReplyDelete
  12. Masaki N10:57 pm

    Hi michael.

    Q1.Do you waste a lot of food?
    >>>I don't. I dislike to waste food or something.

    Q2.Is Mottainai important to you?
    >>>Yes, because I was thought so by my parents.

    Q3.How do you practice Mottainai?
    >>>I cook my diner so often. When I go to shopping, I never buy more than enough to use.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Michael.
    I don't waste foods because I don't buy more foods than I need.
    Mottainai is important to me.
    I practice it when I forgot to turn the watter off.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Miho.W1:21 am


    Hi Michael!
    How are you?
    I take care not to waste,but sometime I waste some food.
    Becouse sometime I can't consume all vegetables which I bought ,and they become bad soon.I feel guilty such a case.

    Mottainai is important for me.
    To feel Mottainai is the very thing that I think important.
    I think we must not feel natural for we can eat food everyday.
    There are many people who is facing shortage of food.
    We must not waste food.

    I practice Mottainai to turn off the light and don't left running the water.
    i want to keep doing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ryusuke1:41 am

    Hi,Michael.

    1.Do you waste a lot of food?

    No, I am not.
    I try not to waste food.

    2.Is Mottainai is important to you?

    Yes.
    I often use Mottainai.

    3.How do you practice Mottainai?

    I try not to throw away things.

    See you.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Shizuho7:47 am

    Hello Micheal.

    Do you waste a lot of food?
    -I don't waste foods.
    Because I became full easily but try to keep the food in the fubdge to eat for breakfast.

    Is Mottainai Important to you?
    -Yes I am.

    How do you practice Mottainai?
    -I practice Mottainai for bath time.



    ReplyDelete
  17. Yosuke8:25 am

    Hi Micheal.
    Do you waste a lot of food?
    I don't think I waste a lot of food because I have bought necessary amount of food.
    Is Mottainai Important to you?
    I think Mottainai is important.I think it any time.
    How do you practice Mottainai?
    I don't buy many food.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yoshiaki8:31 am

    Hello Michael.
    I don't waste food ,and Mottainai is important for me.
    Because when we look at the world,there are many children who don't eat enough food ,so we should thanks to eat food and should't waste food.

    ReplyDelete
  19. junpei10:30 am

    Hello Michel.
    I think I waste a lot of food.
    I like to go shopping.
    But I buy many food.
    So best-before date will go out.
    And I think Mottainai is very important.
    If everyone think it,waste of quantity.
    I think I will try to practice Mottainai。

    ReplyDelete
  20. junpei10:43 am

    Hello Micheal.
    I think I waste a lot of food.
    I like to go shopping.
    I buy many food.
    so best-before date will go out.
    And I think Mottainai is important.
    If everyone think it,waste of quantity decrease.
    I will try to practice mottainai.

    ReplyDelete