Interview with Gianfranco Scimone (5/5)

WHY I SUPPORT ECOTWAZA

Ecology is becoming fashion these days, and most of us are just talking about environmental issues as a small chat. The reason why I support Ecotwaza is because they are trying to tackle this gigantic issue realistically and make tangible improvement. Instead of waiting for market and technology to solve the problem, they are introducing hidden superior eco-friendly products, trying to move the market. There is much knowledge for living in harmony with nature in Japan. Although some have been forgotten in the past thirty years, there is still so much to pass on to the world. I hope more people will be educated and start to make a change. Whatever small a change will make a difference!

- Gianfranco Scimone -

Interview with Gianfranco Scimone (4/5)

What are the key concepts for you when thinking about ecology?

It is in our hearts. Think with your heart, not with your mind! We tend to run toward money and economic “progress” when we think with our mind. I’m pretty sure we won’t be so cruel to our surrounding nature if we think with our heart. And we all have a good heart, but sometimes the mind controls over it. The keywords will be “Respect” and “Humble”. We have to teach each other…

Last year when I visited my hometown, an old man came up to me to ask if I was the nephew of Giovanni Scimone, Gianfranco. My grandfather used to be an ironsmith in town, and the old man knew him as a child of a farmer nearby. He told me that he remembered my grandfather because he was mending iron tools for poor farmers without taking money. You can’t imagine how proud I felt about my grandfather. This was such a big present for me, more than money or real estate heritage.

One day, when my son or grandson meets somebody who knew me, I want them to have the same feeling. I want to give them this heartwarming present. And I think this is how we should think about ecology and ourselves.

Interview with Gianfranco Scimone (3/5)

Was there anything you learned from your stay in Japan?

It was 30 years ago when I first visited Japan. The streets were clean, nearby nature were amazingly beautiful, and people had so much respect toward nature. Japanese economy was boosting then, and I was astonished since the rest of the developed world seemed to be forgetting this sense of respect.

To be honest, I was disappointed because 13 years ago, when I came back to Japan again, the streets were messy with garbage, and people seemed to have lost their humbleness toward nature. It is still cleaner than many other places, but again they lost something important.

However I still think there are many things we can learn from Japanese ways. Traditional culture is one thing. For example Aikido, which I have been learning for more than 10 years, weigh heavily the harmony with universe and inner spirit. Though not directly about ecology, attitude toward work also represents a good way of thinking. I have been doing business with many small companies in fashion and design industry for the last few years. As far as I know, everybody has strong sense of responsibility, work hard, and appreciate each other. I believe we mutually gave energy to each other, which is an important sense to make society grow.

Japanese communities are good for children’s education, since the social environment naturally teaches the children to act responsibly. Recently in urban areas there is separation between elderly and children, which I think is Mottainai. I was very much inspired through my stay in Japan, about ecology, relation with others, and of course design.

Interview with Gianfranco Scimone (2/5)

What was the trigger for you to start considering about the environment?


There was a beautiful beach in the coast of Almeria, Spain, near the town of Carboneras. Transparent water, splendid view and bright white architecture… I used to go there often in my 20s. However in the 1980s they constructed a cement factory. The beach was destroyed, many related companies poured in, hotels were built, and asphalt covered the dirt roads. This was a striking experience of how so-called “progress” destroyed an irreversible treasure. Even though the residents must have made economic progress, I feel they lost something more important.

An even bigger shock was in my home town, Taormina, Sicily which was the location of the movie “Grand Blue”. My family owned a wine orchard. Taormina has wonderful wine with a long history from the Roman period. The local governing body of the town of Castelmola, located right above Taormina, to where the territory of our wine orchard belonged to decided to build houses for homeless people nearby our orchard. We were concerned about the environmental effect but still agreed because it was something good for the society. However the government decided to build apartments instead of single story houses, and what is more they decided not to build septic tanks. All garbage, water sewage and chemicals started running into our orchard. We went to law of course, but for 10 years nothing changed, and in the end they didn’t make a septic tank but instead made a pipeline to run all sewage into a nearby river. The orchard and river were both crucially damaged. And to make the damage total they did not give the apartments to the homeless but sold them at a cheap price to the families who gave most votes.

This is such a typical example of what was going on in the world in the 1970s and 80s. Humans were allowed to discharge living waste into natural environment before, as long as it was within the circle of ecology. Now we have plastics, chemicals, materials that can’t be digested by nature anymore. We need to be responsible for what we are living on. My father lived a life from 1910s to 2000s, a very healthy era in terms of food and environment. I feel my generation, from 1950s to now, went through an age of destruction, and I want to descend this regret down to following generations so we won’t make the same mistake again.

Interview with Gianfranco Scimone (1/5)

ECOTWAZA TIMES Vol.3 COVER STORY
Interview with Gianfranco Scimone

Starting tomorrow, 4 interview articles with Italian model, actor and manager, Gianfranco Scimone will be updated. It is a full story of how Gian became aware of environmental issues, and what he feels in Japan. (The summary version is available in ECOTWAZA TIMES Autumn Vol.3)


Gianfranco Scimone
1955 Born in Italy
Lived in Italy, Spain and USA, mastering all languages, Internationally active as a professional model, actor,location coordinater and restaurant/farm manager. Based in Tokyo since 1995.
Gianfranco felt sympathy toward our mission to "spread Japanese ecology and craftsmanship to the world in order to lessen the ecological footprint". He graced our cover as volunteer, as part of his private social activities.
We would like to thank Gian for all the support and time he spent for our mission.

Gianfranco Scimone websites
http://dp33048999.lolipop.jp/
http://www2.gol.com/users/lastrada/index.html

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Ecotwaza Times Vol.3 CORRECTIONS

We appologise for the following corrections in articles.

P.8 The Spirit of Mikoshi
Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten was founded in 1861, instead of 1860.

P.26 Naturalisme
The star on map should be on the other side of the road.
It is on the left side of Gaien Nishi Doori when you walk from Gaienmae Station.

Directory of Biz Seeds (8/21-8/29)

Here is a directory of the companies we introduced between Aug.21 - Aug.29.
More pictures are available on Ecotwaza Times magazine.

If you can speak/write Japanese, please contact the companies directly. For English, contact ECOTWAZA for help. We can forward your inquiry to the people in charge.
Mail to: info@ecotwaza.com Call 042-573-5613
Or fill out the contact form from below.
CONTACT FORM

Natural Furniture Nishioka
Natural wooden furniture
Looking for export partners
TEL 03-5826-7188
FAX 03-5826-7119
WEB www.asakusa-kagu.jp
MAIL toiawase@asakusa-kagu.jp
ADD Festa-Hanakawado#101, 1-15-1, Hanakawado, Taito, Tokyo, 111-0033, JAPAN
TO: Mr. Nishioka

Mutsugoro Pharmacy
Japanese herbal treatment
Looking for overseas operation partner
TEL 03-5772-2213
FAX 03-5772-2214
WEB www.mutsugoro.co.jp
MAIL info@mutsugoro.co.jp
ADD 3-41-3 Jingumae Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001Japan
TO: Mr. Murase

Japan Ion Co., ltd.
Mineral Ion Sterilizer
Looking for overseas business partners
TEL 03-3308-3911
FAX 03-3308-3981
WEB www.japan-ion.com
MAIL info2@ion-net.co.jp
ADD 2-60-8 Midorigaoka Chofu-shi, Tokyo 182-0001 Japan
TO: Mr. Nakajima

Frontier Japan Co., ltd
Wooden wall paper
Looking for export partners
TEL 03-5646-1023
FAX 03-5646-1024
WEB www.eco-pro.ne.jp
MAIL info @ eco-pro.ne.jp
ADD 1-3-2 Kiyosumi Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0024 Japan
TO: Mr. Nukaga

Sanyo Paper Co., ltd.
UMEZUMI crepe paper
Looking for export partners
TEL 06-6357-7209
FAX 06-6357-7749
WEB www.sanyo-paper.co.jp
MAIL crepe@sanyo-paper.co.jp
ADD 6-4-5 Onosato Sennan-shi, Ohsaka 590-0526Japan
TO: Mr. Shoyama

Wada Research Institute
Styrofoam waste volume reduction agent
Looking for investors and business partners
TEL 03-5733-6711
FAX 03-5733-6712
WEB www.course-de-lesson.jp/wadaken.htm
MAIL j26@e-mail.jp
ADD 2nd Floor 5-22-3Shinbashi, Minato-ku Tokyo 105-0004 Japan
TO: Mr. Murata

ADditional
Eco bag made of Japanese ads
Looking for export partners
WEB www.ad2bag.com
MAIL info@ad2bag.com
TO: Ms. Yonaga

Innatural Co., ltd.
Organic house ware and wool clothes
Looking for export partners
TEL 011-219-1616
FAX 011-219-1627
WEB www.yuuyoo.jp
MAIL natural06info@yuuyoo.jp
ADD 11-9-1 Kita7Jo Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido 060-0007Japan
TO: Ms. Ushirode

Kyo-pro Co., ltd.
Underwater shooting and photography
Looking for distribution partners
TEL 047-470-8777
FAX 047-470-9888
WEB www.kyo-pro.co.jp
MAIL isoroku@kyo-pro.co.jp
ADD 56 Building 2-1-6 Maehara Nishi, Funabashi-shi, Chiba 274-0825 Japan
TO: Mr. Yamamoto



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