A candle for conservation

Third in a series
TOKYO

JAPAN IS aided in its efforts at energy conservation by a deep, shared reverence for the natural world. Seemingly every activist and bureaucrat I met here said saving the earth was part of a national heritage.

"Traditionally speaking, the Japanese people have a culture of co existence with nature," said Junko Edahiro, director of the group Japan for Sustainability. "There is a baseline willingness of people to save energy and resources that can be attributed to Japanese thinking of nature as our friend."

Edahiro and other activists tapped this vein in 2003 when they launched Candle Night, a charming, utterly Japanese celebration of the solstice, when citizens are encouraged to unplug their frenetic electronic lifestyles for two hours. The initiative is promoted as a way to save energy, of course, but also as a time for "quiet contemplation," to connect with tradition and to enjoy the beauty of the stars.

On June 21, according to Japan's Ministry of the Environment, 1.6 million people participated in Candle Night activities. From 8 to 10 p.m., people gathered by candlelight at cafes, parks, schools, and museums. There were 437 separate events, including a concert at a shopping mall in Utsunomiya, a river cruise in Tokyo, and a beeswax candle-making workshop in Miyakonojo. Many people just stayed home for a quiet family dinner. The iconic Tokyo tower went dark, as did a TV tower in Nagoya.

Last year the environment ministry joined Candle Night to promote a more extensive campaign dubbed "Black Illumination 2006." Over four days Japan saved 800 megawatts, about three-quarters the capacity of the Seabrook power plant. And the movement is growing worldwide; tomorrow, 39,000 people in Sydney have pledged to pull the plug for "Earth Hour." There were winter or summer solstice events in Taiwan, France, Korea, and Brazil. Last year even a coffee shop in Pittsburgh joined in.

Candle Night has been embraced in part because it mitigates the grim, eat-your-peas aspect of responsible energy use. "It's not rigid, and it's kind of romantic," said Edahiro. "You can enjoy that two hours any way you wish." It operates with a loose, voluntary, 21st century spirit of networking; joiners can log on to the website (candle-night.org) and post their own activities, possibly using Google Maps to pinpoint the event and share messages with others.

The small personal gestures relentlessly promoted in Japan -- recycling, "lights down," wearing thermal underwear -- may not be as effective as fuel-efficient cars or green buildings, but they help build public consensus for the larger campaigns. Rather than gripe about lifestyle sacrifices, for a few nights at least, many people seem eager to light a candle and bless the darkness.

RENÉE LOTH