Page 12 - IJES Special Issues for AIEC2016
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2 © Tucker 2016 | The “Green Curtain”
(which has the highest per capita ecological of energy equivalent to running an air condi-
footprint in the world), I search for impactful tioning unit (for a 14.6m2 room) for 1-1.5 hours
ways to effectively incorporate sustainability per day. The reduction of CO2 emissions would
into education curricula. Children and young save nine Japanese cedar trees.
adults should be cognizant of the positive
influence they can have on building a sustain- The natural green curtain project has been
able environment by merely changing a few widely adopted among educational programs,
routine habits. Any large, grass-roots movement particularly in primary schools. This is having a
always begins with some small, incremen- great impact on the culture and mindset of an
tal steps. entire generation of citizens (Nobuhara and
Asano, 2010). As the growing season of annual
Green Curtain Projects – Implementation of plants and the Japanese academic cycle (begins
a Sustainable Community in Japan in April) are well fit, children plant seedlings in
the early summer at schools, and they naturally
For the past decade, in the uber eco-conscious develop a sustainable life-style, sustainable
nation of Japan, a grass-roots movement known mind, and gain an intrinsic appreciation and
as the “Green Curtain” has been gaining expo- value for nature through hands-on learning
nential momentum (albeit quietly) in edu- experiences. Among higher education institu-
cational institutions, private and governmental tions, Yamaguchi Prefectural University estab-
sectors, as well as among the general population lished the “Environmental System” course, in
(Chubu Electric Power Company, 2015; Ministry which the green curtain project serves as part of
of the Environment, Government of Japan, an education for sustainable development (ESD)
2015). The green curtain is a biological shutter initiative (Yamamoto et al., 2010). The imple-
(made of naturally grown green plants that are mentation of green curtain projects in edu-
planted outdoors) used to cover the windows cational institutions will also help spread
and/or walls of buildings/residences to block awareness among children and young adults
sunlight. In Japan (which is located in a and change the habits and values necessary to
temperate climate zone), annual plants are achieve a sustainable society.
mostly used for green curtains to block strong
radiation during the hot summer but not during Green Curtain Mini-Pilot Study
the cold winter. Some of the species commonly
used are: bitter melon (Momordica charantia), The objectives of this study were to: 1)
sponge gourd/Egyptian cucumber (Luffa determine the appropriate plant species to
aegyptiaca), and morning glory (Ipomoea nil). establish natural green curtains in the UAE; 2)
The former two also add a joy of harvest at the identify the effect of green curtains on the sur-
end of summer. rounding microenvironments; and 3) advance
the prospect for proceeding with larger scale
The natural green curtains are reported to be projects of natural green curtains in the UAE.
effective to cool down outdoor and indoor
temperatures (Kajita, 2009; Narita, 2007; 2. Materials and Methods
Suzuki et al., 2015), reduce heat island effects
(Fukuda et al. 2008), as well as provide natural Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) was used as a
green plant-life to urbanized environments, trial plant material because of its: a) morpho-
thus, also helping to heal people’s minds logical characteristics (vigorous growth, extend-
(Nobuhara et al., 2010). The amount of energy ing vines, and pinnate leaves), b) drought
consumption that can be saved by a natural tolerance (Talukdar, 2011), and c) easy avail-
green curtain (by itself) is insignificant; how- ability in the UAE.
ever, if bundled, the effects can be dramatic.
According to a simulation study conducted by Experimental plots were established in a
Samata and Fukuda (2009), if a green curtain courtyard garden between academic buildings
interrupts radiation for three months (from July on the Zayed University Dubai campus (in the
to September in Japan), it will save an amount UAE). Existing flower beds with a drip irrigation
Science Target Inc. www.sciencetarget.com
