With Dash, the all-organic winter collection from R by 45rpm, the Japanese brand gives lovingly detailed denim, sweaters, knitted caps, button-ups and totes the eco-treatment. Needless to say, organic clothing made in Japan brings a hefty price tag, so don’t be shocked when they ring in your purchase. ...read more
[Update] Here's some more footage from another angle. (Via Dot Earth) Photo by JoAnne McArthur of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society...read more
The Japanese government recently chose a group of companies and research teams who are assigned to achieve this ambition, a dream worth billions of dollars, to produce clean energy in an unlimited amount in the next few decades. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) hopes that the ambitious plans will help ease the country’s energy problems as well as provide a solution for global......read more
It is a rare occasion that you'll find a post on SHFT commending the fast food industry, which gets a general fail for its heavy footprint and for pushing products of dubious nutritional value. In Japan, a busy Subway location in Tokyo is making a move in the right direction, with a new, enclosed hydroponic garden for growing lettuce. Adding truth to the Subway tagline "Eat Fresh,"......read more
The disaster in Japan has all of us wondering what we can do to help. There are a bunch of groups doing work on the ground and there are lots of ways to get involved. Here are a few: Red Cross: Visit Redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your phone. Save the Children: To make a donation, click here, call 1-800-728-3843, or text JAPAN to 20222 to donate $10. GlobalGiving:......read more
This year's World Water Day brings fresh concerns about seafood safety in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami and radiation leaks in Japan. Fishermen, fish buyers, and consumers on both sides of the Pacific are dealing with the ripple effects of the crisis. Addressing U.S. consumer safety concerns, the Food and Drug Administration said it was taking steps to measure radiation contamination in......read more
Who says wind turbines are industrial eyesores? Shot with the camera of Japanese photographer Yozo Takada, wind farms take on a beautifully muted look that sharply contrasts the brawn and power of the structures. Loving the gauzy vibe of the photos. Very nice. (via Colossal)...read more
When digital photos look too good to be true, they usually are. That's the assumption, anyway. So when we first ran across these incredible images of fireflies sparkling in the Japanese night, we assumed they had been touched up by a heavy hand. Not so, apparently. The man behind the camera -- Tsuneaki Hiramatsu, a hobby photographer from Okayama City -- used long-exposure and time-lapse......read more
Occasionally, in our constant search for cool and interesting stuff to show our faithful readers, we come across creative projects that literally blow our minds. This would be one such occasion. As part of last weekend's Tokyo Hotaru festival, 100,000 LED lights were sent flowing down the Sumida River, commemorating the now scarce fireflies ("hotaru" in Japanese) that used to bring the river to......read more
The springtime bloom of sakura (ornamental cherry blossoms) is one of nature's most dazzling spectacles. Kobe-based photographer Takeshi Suga adds some wooziness to the equation with "Sakuramadelica 2012," a collection of super-saturated, dream-like shots of cherry blossoms in full bloom. The effects are slightly disorienting, as the familiar springtime sight is presented in a blurry and surreal......read more