The show brings viewers a fresh perspective on the relationship between everyday activities and biodiversity, such as Donna Ozawa's
Waribashi Project, an impressive display constructed of 90,000
waribashi, or disposable chopsticks.
A 5 percent tax China placed last year on the 45 billion pairs of so-called
waribashi it produces yearly has Japanese restaurants searching for alternatives now.
Known as
waribashi in Japan and yicixing kuaizi in China, disposable chopsticks date to the 1870s and were originally deemed a thrifty way to use up wood scraps.
(Actually, it wasn't broadcast simultaneously everywhere; different parts of the world received it at different times, even on different days, because of marketing considerations.) ALOHA ta1= halloa ALOHA ta2 = acholia, gasahol, halloas HAWAII ta2 =
waribashiBut Japan definitely reigns supreme when it comes to disposable chopsticks, or "waribashi," as they're known in the sushi bars, noodle shops, and fast-food joints ubiquitous to the island nation.
A major player in today's waribashi God Squad is the Mitsubishi Group, one of the largest industrial conglomerates in the world, which owns a hefty chunk of CCMC.