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| Environmental Initiatives in the Entertainment Field |
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| The Sony Music Group in Japan pursues environmental activities capitalizing on their particular strengths. |
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Activities with Artists
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At Defstar Records Inc., the music group Natural High is actively involved in various environmental and communications-related activities. In addition to participating in a tree-planting tour to Indonesia's Lingkaran Forest organized by Sony Magazines Inc. and giving a talk and live performance at Lingkaran Café the group donated a portion of its sales of Chaku-uta® (downloadable polyphonic ringtones for mobile phones) to cover tree-planting costs.
Numerous other artists belonging to Sony Music Group labels in Japan are choosing to record in Green Power-run studios and use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paper*1 for CD and DVD jackets, as well as using their own websites to share their views on the environment.
MUSIC ON! TV Inc., which broadcasts the Japanese music channel MUSIC ON! TV, relies entirely on Green Power for the energy it uses. On May 4, 2006, the company held a live musical event called "Harmony with the Earth." In addition to broadcasting a special program showing highlights of the event and artists' messages about environmental issues, MUSIC ON! TV donated a portion of event proceeds to funds supporting wind power generation. |
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| *1 FSC accreditation shows that a company's products use pulp from trees of forests that are properly managed. |
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| Natural High participates in tree-planting tour to Lingkaran Forest |
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| CDs recorded at Green Power-run studios Rear, from left: Shogo Hamada, Koji Tamaki; Front: RYTHEM |
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Activities Involving Popular Characters
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Sony Creative Products Inc. has developed the "Natural Pingu" brand of merchandise, which is made from organic cotton and other natural fabrics. Pingu has been adopted by Japan's Ministry of the Environment and Forestry Agency for use in their respective environmental campaigns, and the popular claymation character is finding himself increasingly busy as an environmental spokesperson in Japan. Sony Creative Products has also introduced green power at its 21 directly operated "m.i.x." stores across Japan.
Dream Ranch Inc. artist JUNICHI has created such "environmental characters" as Planelian and KAZEO, which are being promoted both inside and outside the company as characters that embody the concept of ecology through art. |
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| The "Natural Pingu" series, made from organic cotton |
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Eco Business Activities
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In fiscal 2004, Sony Music Communications Inc. (SMC) launched GREENSTYLE Design, a program aimed at supporting environmental conservation organizations through its eco-solutions business. SMC donates a portion of its revenues to environmental conservation organizations through its GREENSTYLE Fund. Sony Magazines Inc. began bimonthly publication of Lingkaran, a magazine that promotes mental and physical health by advocating ecologically aware, organic lifestyles. In cooperation with artists and musicians, the magazine provides an entertaining introduction to ecological issues relevant to its readers' everyday lives. The company also puts out a number of other environment-related publications, including ecology now and Kankyo no Shigoto ni Tsuku (Working in the Environmental Field).
In March 2007, Hall Network Inc. launched a new business for recycling the 600,000 polyethylene teraphthalate (PET) drink bottles discarded annually at its six Zepp concert halls in Japan into drink bottle straps. |
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| Lingkaran magazine |
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