The "Recycling Fair in Kurashiki 2022" held at the Kojima Kurukuru Center. Let's think about environmental conservation while having fun.

An event where children and adults can learn about the environment through hands-on experiences was held annually before the COVID-19 pandemic as the "Recycling Fair in Kurashiki."

However, it had been canceled for the past few years due to the pandemic, but on October 2, 2022 (Sunday), it was held again as the "Recycling Fair in Kurashiki 2022."

The venue is the "Kurukuru Center" in Kojima.

“What is the Kurukuru Center? Where is it?”

Some may wonder. It is located next to the Kojima Marine Pool.

At the Kurukuru Center, citizens donate usable clothes and books, which are then given for free to those in need.

Additionally, furniture and other items are beautifully repaired and sold at low prices.

I thought about what kind of recycling is being done in the community and what I can do, so I decided to visit the event.

What is the "Recycling Fair in Kurashiki 2022"

The "Recycling Fair in Kurashiki 2022" is an event organized by Kurashiki City to raise awareness about waste reduction, recycling, and environmental conservation.

The main venue was the multipurpose square in front of the Kurukuru Center, where various booths were set up, including:

• Workshops and experience corners for recycling items that are usually thrown away
• Flea market
• Food court

Visitors to the venue wandered around, contemplating where to start and what to create, with many people forming lines at various booths.

Additionally, there was a notice encouraging attendees to "Bring your own bottle to the venue," and a water refill station was set up at the reception.

It was an environmentally friendly event aimed at reducing plastic waste.

The atmosphere on the day of the event

The day was sunny from the morning, but it was surprisingly hot for October.

The host repeatedly urged, "Please stay hydrated."

On stage, magic shows and character performances were lively, entertaining both children and adults.

Additionally, the flea market had no booth fees, so many people participated.

People laid out clothes and toys they no longer wore on sheets and sold them at special prices.

Since items were available at much lower prices than in stores, it was a great deal if you found something you needed.

A friend who came with me was thrilled to have bought "new paint."

In the food corner, there were handmade breads and side dishes made by staff from local specialty products and welfare facilities, with lines forming during lunchtime.

I thought I would try answering a quiz rally to learn about the environment, as there were prizes for participation.

Now, let's take a look at what booths were available.

"Manhole de Art"

The first booth that caught my attention was "Manhole de Art."

This is a booth from the Kojima City Sewerage Department.

Participants painted real manhole covers with yellow and purple paint, then layered paper bags to transfer the manhole designs.

The designs of manhole covers vary by region as follows:

• Kurashiki area: Wisteria flowers
• Mabi area: Bamboo shoots

I had never closely observed the patterns on manhole covers before, but I thought I would start paying attention to them from now on.

Also, if you brought fabric or T-shirts, you could create original products.

The design is so cute and stylish that you wouldn't even realize it's a manhole cover.

"Whispers of Numbers" Workshop

Next, I headed to the "Whispers of Numbers" workshop.

The booth was run by designer Sono Nishimori, who is active in various fields, including hosting workshops at the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art.

Using canvas that cannot be sold in the market (B-grade and C-grade), participants could create large calendars or original art that could be stuck on walls by stamping with the "Whispers of Numbers" stamps designed to resemble animals and tools.

"Let's play freely with numbers" encourages participants to overlap numbers without being constrained by their meanings.

The "Whispers of Numbers" stamps created by Nishimori were cute, and local high school students were also enjoying stamping them.

Let's make your own doggy bag

The last booth I want to introduce is the collaboration between Kurashiki City and the general incorporated association Konohitokan.

"Let's make your own doggy bag!!"

A doggy bag is a paper box used to take home leftover food from restaurants or parties.

I always carry an eco-bag, but I had never carried a box or pack for leftovers.

Boxes are convenient because they keep food intact without crushing it. This also helps reduce food waste.

Participants assembled foldable boxes and decorated them with drawings and stickers to create their original doggy bags.

Children were drawing their favorite pictures and enjoying the creation process.

Conclusion

I have been conscious of reducing plastic waste in the following ways:

• Washing and taking PET bottles and milk cartons to collection boxes
• Bringing my own bottle and eco-bag

However, after participating in this event, I learned that there are still many other ways to reduce waste.

New initiatives are also starting, such as efforts to eliminate food waste and food drives (activities to collect food that cannot be consumed at home and donate it to local facilities).

The flea market is also a great example of the SDGs, as it prevents items from being thrown away if there are people who will use them next.

At the "Recycling Fair in Kurashiki 2022," I was able to learn in detail about the activities of local organizations and enjoy learning about environmental conservation, making the day meaningful.

It seems that the "Recycling Fair in Kurashiki" is held every year.

I encourage you to participate next year!

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