NI Forum

The NI Forum has been established as a place where opinions from broad viewpoints and communication can be exchanged among people from various fields who are interested in the concept of the Nature Interface. The NI Forum was launched in August 2001. As reported in the previous issue, the students of the Environmental Information Laboratory of the Institute of Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo are the main members who work hard to create and administer the NI Forum. Through the club page, these students pursue the possibilities of the Nature Interface, making use of their own fields of study. We hope many people from many fields take part in our club page. Visit NI Form!

NI Forum Members

AYA YOSHIDA

Master course student at the Laboratory of Technological Policy for Environment, Institute of Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo

I have been interested in waste issues in developing countries. I studied environmental economics at the faculty of Economics. I want to research the ways how Japan, which also has waste problems, can cooperate economically and technically with other countries. Recently, it was decided that I would have an internship in Pakistan. I'm looking forward to working with an environmental technical specialist there.

I joined the NI Forum because I was also interested in journalism. Since my field of study is different from that of other members, I want to work as a bridge between science and culture. It may be interesting, for example, to accompany the Nature Interface staff on interviews with people or companies in forefront technologies, and then to report my feedback from a student's point of view.

GUILLAUME LOPEZ

Master course student at the Environmental Information Laboratory, Institute of Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo

I first heard about the concept of the Nature Interface during my internship in Japan two years ago. Ever since then, the concept of the Nature Interface has interested me a lot. As I was also thinking in living several years in Japan, after going back to France and graduating from the University, I returned there in October 2000 to study in professor Itao's laboratory. My research theme is to build a system that allows the integration into GIS (Geographical Information System) of information collected from the environment by sensors, to give people access to it.

AZUSA NAKATA

Master's course student at the Environmental Information Laboratory, Institute of Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo

My research theme is "intra-body communication," in which information is sent through weak electric current passed inside the body. In vivo communication enhances the practicability of wearable information networks. I think in vivo communication can be applied not only to medical treatment but to a variety of other fields. My research started from the thought that I wanted to do something good for people.

I joined the NI Forum because I felt the need to create a place where people can share their knowledge. The concept of the Nature Interface is broad and can include any fields of study. One field may be connected to another, very different field. I think new proposals are born from such communication between people from various fields. I hope the NI Forum becomes a place where diverse people or ideas get together.

The NI Forum Has Five Categories.

Visit our homepage. We look forward to reading your unique opinions.

Eco Forum: Think about environmental issues.

Life Forum: Consider interfaces in our daily lives.

Media Forum: Discuss cultural avenues, such as mass media, magazines, books, movies and sounds.

Tech Forum: Introduce the leading edge of the Nature Interface.

NI Forum: Exchange opinions about Nature Interface.

http://www.natureinterface.co.jp

From the NI Forum Club Page

The NI Forum exchanged the opinions appearing below while we were preparing to launch the NI Forum. We wait for your participation!

*Changing people's consciousness may be a way to solve environmental issues on an international level. However, I think the level of discussion about the measures that people, governments, businesses, etc., are taking to address environmental issues should be lowered so that anybody can understand and contribute to the solutions. I think making environmental conservation a business is a good way to attain this. What do you think about this? (T)

*Yes, making environmental conservation a business is a good way. Yet, I think 'earth-friendly' equals 'expensive' as far as I see the current products. Resolving such a compromise may be the work of engineers. (N)

*Existing companies' environmental measures are intended only to comply with laws or to improve their image. This is not the true 'environmental business.' Frankly speaking, can the pursuit of profit be compatible with the pursuit of protecting the environment? It's not easy. Of course, the degree of interest in environmental issues varies depending on each country or person. Yet, I think the NI Forum has a role to play in activating people's interest in environmental issues through debates on this Web page. (I)

*I'm interested in water problems. Though water is crucial for our lives, I think people have little interest in water when they use it. For example, many Japanese people collect milk cartons to recycle them. This is good from the viewpoint of recycling the paper, but we use a lot of water, or even hot water during winter, to wash or rinse the cartons. Many homemakers then take the cartons to the supermarket by car, where the recycling bins are placed. So, a lot of energy can be wasted in recycling cartons. We must consider once again how we can cope with environmental risks and make a sustainable society. (I)

*I strongly feel the importance of water when I go abroad. Surely, there may be little damage even if we use a lot of much water in Japan. OR: "Surely, we can't inflict that much damage in Japan even if we do use a lot of water." I think this version sounds more natural.

I also wash milk cartons and keep them, but there are no stores with recycling bins near my house, so I hope all the convenience stores will set up these bins.

From the viewpoint of objects' lifecycles, I think it will be convenient if each behavior, like recycling milk cartons, washing the cartons or spewing exhaust gases from our cars, is evaluated numerically. (K)