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この間、白馬のもりのロッジにお世話になりました。オーナーはスコットランド生まれのＭａｔｔさんです。そして、実は、Ｍａｔｔさんは和田野区の区長にもなりました。「外国人の区長」と言う事で、長野県のメディアで話題になりました。まあ、私もこの上山田温泉１１区の区長にはいつかなるから、大した事じゃないと最初に思いました。しかし、去年にＭａｔｔさんと共同で長野市に講演で喋りました。その時に、Ｍａｔｔさんが区のごみ問題についての活動を話しました。彼は白馬の自然と環境が好きだからこそ、引越ししたので、区長としてその環境を守りたいとの事。
なるほど。
私こそ、比較的にエコ派です。亀清のロビーに灯油のストーブをどけて、薪ストーブを取り付けるとか、近所のレストランの使われた割り箸をそのストーブの焚き付けに使うとか。
でもＭａｔｔさんのごみ選別などの努力を聞いたら、感動しました。
そして、先日は白馬に行った時に、彼のもりのロッジを見学させていただきました。外国人の宿泊者の為にごみ選別のルールを英語での説明、別々なゴミ箱など、彼らがしっかりしている。そして、聞いたら、近所の週一のごみの日が宿泊者に体験ツアーとして人気だと。
なるほど！日本のごみルールが細かくて、面倒くさいと思っていましたが、逆に考えれば、そのごみ文化を外国人に見せたらいい勉強・経験になるのだ。
Last week I was given a tour of Hakuba's Morino Lodge by its owner. The owner is Matt-san from Scotland, who also happens to be the Wadano Village Chief. Being the first foreigner Village Chief in Hakuba, Matt-san has been somewhat of a media darling here in Nagano. At first I thought -- what's the big deal? Within a couple of years it'll be my turn to be Kamiyamada Onsen's 11th District Chief. I don't find that to be particularly news-worthy. However, last year I was invited to give a speech in Nagano City with Matt as the co-presentor. Matt chose to live in Hakuba for its beautiful nature, and as Village Chief, he has taken it upon himself to take the village's garbage separation and recycling to a higher level.
I was impressed. I consider myself to be an environmentally sensitive type guy. For example, here at Kamesei Ryokan, we took out the kerosene stove from the lobby and put in a wood burning one. And we collect used chopsticks from neighboring restaurants to use for lighting fires in the stove, as opposed to letting them end up in the garbage. But I was fascinated by Matt's garbage and recycling efforts for his village.
When we took the tour of Matt's lodge, I was amazed to see the detailed "garbage rules" for his guests, and the separated waste cans everywhere -- all in English. And I heard that Matt turned his village's weekly garbage collection day into a cultural tour, to show his guests Japan's garbage "culture". It made me realize that Japan's garbage rules shouldn't be considered to be all anal in their detailedness, but they are a good thing for foreigners to learn and perhaps take back to their own countries.

もりのロッジのＨＰはこちらClick here for Morino Lodge's website.

Here's a link to a Japan's Time article that led me to understand Japan's gomi rules aren't to be dreaded, but are to be held up as an example for the rest of the world to follow.