Teaching Sustainability and Mottainai in Japan
Using Picture Books to Educate Kids on Sustainable Development
There is not a day we don’t hear the words “Sustainable development goals” (SDG) in the media. If you have small children, I am sure you have been asked “What’s SDGs, mom?”
How do you explain SDGs to your children? You may not be able to cover the whole SDG concept but here is one of the solutions.
In 2006, I had the opportunity to be an interpreter for a meeting between Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Peach Prize-winning Kenyan environmental activist, and the children’s book author, Mariko Shinju, known for her book “Mottainai Grandma.” (A transcript of that interview is available in Japanese here.)
It was not just a great opportunity to meet two amazing ladies but an eye opener to think about what “Mottainai (もったいない)” truly means. It connects directly to sustainability and SDGs.
Wangari Maathai was deeply impressed when she discovered the word “mottainai” and decided to spread the word globally. She felt that this single word neatly expressed the basic concept of the environmental conservation movement: “reduce, reuse, recycle.” She also thought that it included a fourth important element: respect for the earth’s limited resources.
Mottainai turned into a universal catchphrase with Maathai rallying the UN Commission with the Japanese word.
A Medium writer, Julia Marino, wrote about it in her story, “Mottainai Grandma: How a Japanese expression grew into a global movement.”
Enough explanation about Mottainai.
Here are 4 animated videos for your children to watch in English on YouTube. These videos are sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment (環境省) and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. If you are interested in the Mottainai Grandma project, you can find more detail here: https://mottainai-baasan.com/en
This amazing animation series is not gaining much attention as it should.
My encounter of Wangari Maathai and Mariko Shinju in 2006 has changed my way of thinking and behavior. I became more focused on food waste and the environment and began to consider how I can contribute.
After all, we all live on planet earth. For our children and future generations, let’s educate our kids to grow up as respectful adults. That is our obligation for the future of this planet.
Mariko Shinju’s Mottainai Grandma books can be found from her website: http://mottainai.com/e/ you can order her books through Amazon or your nearest Japanese book store.
I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment or find me on social media here: https://linktr.ee/kyontanma2
