Susumu Matsumoto (participant)

*Group name

Aeon Cheers Club Shimizu

*Country/Region

Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

*Type of Group

Aeon Group

*Number of total members of your group/project

84 persons

*Number of regular participants in activities

40 persons

*Characteristic of members

Our group engages in activities at ponds and mountains located around our store, Jusco Shimizu. While enjoying ourselves at the ponds and mountains, we try to learn the importance of nature and help pick up litter.

*Theme(s) of your group/project

*Nature Conservation

*Missions and activities of your group/project

 We help with forestation efforts of the store as well as with picking up trash. We have also helped maintain the Kamihara Pond, create a flower garden, help mow the grass of Udoyama (mountain), as well as create a square along with a nonprofit organization. While walking around in the nature, we learn of its importance. Our main theme for the year 2005 was wastes.

*Characteristics of the group/project activities

Group members range widely from first graders to tenth graders. University students in the area, volunteer groups, and incorporated nonprofit organizations back us up as supporters, allowing us to take part in a wide range of activities at the mountains, rivers, and in the store.

*Most importnat way of thinking of your group/project for environment

To be in harmony with nature. Nurture the ability to think about the nature through 6 years of theme oriented annual activities. Bring out the innate curiosity and ability to think in the children. Through group activities, learn to work in teams and gain an understanding of social rules and manners. The store and club should work and grow together.

*Major publications and articles

We create a wall newspaper to bring the year to a close.

*What kind of group/project do you want to exchange for imformation and experience with?

I would like to talk with children in Germany where the whole nation is in the effort towards protecting the nature together.

*Short message for exchange with other group/project

Although we are involved in activities such as picking up trash and planting trees, our efforts alone are far from enough to save the earth. Let us all work together towards this goal.

*Impression of Children's World Summit for the Environment 2005 Aichi

Children from all over the world gathered to visit the Aichi Expo and to hold a conference. Everyone's zeal to save the environment left me with the hope that perhaps we will be able to save the earth. I also learned many things which I had not known of before the Summit. It made my efforts towards the environment more heated and serious. I would like to utilize what I learned at the Summit and continue to do my very best to protect the nature.

*Others

I first got started in these activities four years ago. It was around that time I learned that our future was in grave danger. We, humans, have taken advantage of nature for our convenience and our current state is only the result of what we have done. I will study more in depth and convey to others of the cause of environmental issues and what we can do to make things better.

*Contact person

Sachiyo Maikuma

*Contact Address

JUSCO, Shimizu store
1-6-16 Uwahara, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka-city, Shizuoka 424-0871 Japan