Japan Times on March 8, 2002 "Communication Cues"
Convenience stores make our lives more comfortable, but when it comes to
preventing global warming they are causing big problems.
They are lit up 24 hours a day, Customers can buy cold juices and hot coffee, or eat hot nikuman meat buns, make color copies, use online information terminals and withdraw
cash from convenience store ATMs any time of day or night.
Not one of these services is possible without the continuous use of electricity.
Total carbon dioxide emission from convenience stores has doubled over
the past 10 years since fiscal 1990, when the figure stood at 800,000 tons.
Starting next year, specialists from the Environment Ministry will be sent
to advise stores on how to decrease carbon dioxide emission and convenience
stores are among those targeted by the ministry.