Life without Electricity - Pursuing a Pleasant, Electricity-Free Lifestyle

Paul Mobbs mobbsey at gn.apc.org
Fri Nov 4 03:13:45 GMT 2011 

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Article best summed up by one of the later paragraphs --
"The non-electric way of life that Fujimura suggests is not just a lifestyle 
without electricity. It also incorporates his philosophy on leading a happy 
and affluent life using appropriate technology without depending on energy and 
money."

:-))

P.



http://www.japanfs.org/en/mailmagazine/newsletter/pages/031327.html

Life without Electricity - Pursuing a Pleasant, Electricity-Free Lifestyle

Kazuko Kojima, Japan for Sustainability Newsletter No.109, September 2011


It is not all that long ago when we began using so many electrical appliances 
in everyday life. Japan's first "pulsator-type" washing machine, a prototype of 
current models, reached the market in 1953. Its popularity exploded as it was 
a convenient product that considerably reduced household work loads. Full-
scale television broadcasting also started in 1953. This year set a precedent 
for the expanding use of various home appliances; so much so that it was later 
referred to as "year one of electrification."

Among these new appliances, the washing machine, refrigerator and black-and-
white television set were called the "three sacred treasures" (referring to 
the Imperial regalia of Japan, the sword, mirror and jewel) that everyone 
longed for at that time. With incomes increasing as a result of rapid economic 
growth, consumer demand for these home appliances skyrocketed. By 1973 most 
households had purchased these 3 appliances.

Japan's electricity use steadily increased starting around this time. Even 
after the "oil shock" of 1973, electricity use increased about 2.5 fold during 
the 35 years to 2008. The most substantial increases occurred in the 
consumer/household and transportation sectors. The increase in household use 
was partly due to changes in social structure, such as an increasing number of 
households, and also by changes in private lifestyles demanding more and more 
convenience and comfort. This was a time of "individual electrification" when 
each individual, rather than each household, came to own a set of electrical 
appliances.


Establishment of the Atelier Non-Electric

Despite these social trends, Yasuyuki Fujimura, a doctor of engineering and an 
inventor, has been advocating a "Non-electric" lifestyle that intentionally 
avoids the use of electricity. The phrase, "Non-electric" may sound a little 
unfamiliar, but it is different from "anti- electrification" that condemns 
electricity on principle. The phrase "Non-electric" is meant to communicate 
the idea that it should be possible to live happily and richly while enjoying 
a moderate level of comfort and convenience without depending on electricity.

Fujimura has a PhD in physics and originally got a job at a major equipment 
manufacturer. He was an elite engineer involved in the development of advanced 
technologies including plasma processing machines, cogeneration systems and 
gas heat pumps. His turning point was when his newborn son was diagnosed with 
allergic asthma. As he found out, at that time, in the 1980s, there was a 
surprising increase in the number of children with allergies. As he continued 
his research, he learned about environmental problems. He realized that the 
environment was deteriorating and harming the health of children as one of the 
down sides of rapid economic growth fueled by the vigorous promotion of 
scientific and technological advancement and the pursuit of more and more 
convenience and comfort.

To create a new lifestyle, Fujimura started to work on the theme of "Non-
electric" in 2000. In 2003, he established the Atelier Non-Electric and 
continues to develop many non-electric products.


Atelier Non-Electric
http://www.hidenka.net/etop.htm

Atelier Non-Electric is currently located at the foot of the Nasu Highlands, 
one of Japan's major resort areas in northern Tochigi Prefecture. 
Transportation is convenient -- Nasu is about 150 kilometers north of Tokyo 
and can be reached in 90 minutes by the Tohoku Bullet Train.

The approximately 1-hectare site is a kind of exhibition space that presents a 
"totally non-electric life." A non-electric house utilizes chaff, whose heat 
insulation performance is as good as glass wool, to the maximum. A non-
electric composting toilet uses the power of microorganisms, which can 
decompose human waste into manure without an electric pump. The non-electric 
bath house uses a variety of energies such as solar power, firewood, or even 
garbage. These non-electric facilities are located around a pond.


Refrigerator That Cools Things without Electricity

There are many interesting home appliances that can be operated without 
electric power in the atelier where various trial products are made, as well 
as in the main house. One example is a non-electric refrigerator. How can it 
refrigerate food without electric power? It uses a phenomenon called 
radiational cooling together with the natural convection currents of water.

Radiational cooling occurs when infrared radiation is emitted from an object's 
surface, causing its temperature to decrease. On a clear night, infrared rays 
are emitted from the ground into the atmosphere, cooling the air down. This is 
why the night is extremely cold in the desert. Most people have experienced 
water's natural convection currents when warm water rises while cold water 
sinks and pools at the lowest level.

The cooling unit of the refrigerator (capacity 200 liters) is made of metal 
that has high thermal conductivity. A large volume of water (about 250 liters) 
is stored around this unit as a coolant. Radiator panels are placed on top so 
that the inner surface of the panel touches the coolant water. The heat of 
things stored in the cooling unit is conveyed to the surrounding water by the 
metal, and the heat goes up by natural convection. Thus it is conveyed to the 
radiator panel, and emitted through radiational cooling.

The system is most efficient on a clear night when there is less water vapor in 
the air. One clear night (and sometimes even one cloudy night) every three 
days can keep the temperature inside the refrigerator at around 7 to 8 degrees 
Celsius even on a mid-summer day. This innovative refrigerator belies our 
present-day common sense assumption that things cannot be refrigerated without 
electricity.


Some Values Take Precedence over Comfort, Convenience and Speed

Another popular Atelier product is a handy non-electric coffee roaster. The 
roaster is made of aluminum and shaped like a saucepan with a handle. Raw 
green coffee beans are put into the pan and roasted on a gas stove for three to 
five minutes by shaking the pan right and left. The beans are roasted evenly 
and as lightly or deeply as the consumer prefers.

The process of roasting raw coffee beans, cooling them down, grinding them in a 
coffee mill and pouring fresh brewed coffee into a cup takes about 25 minutes. 
Not many people want to take such a lot of time to make a cup of coffee in 
today's society, which requires speed everywhere and at all times. Fujimura 
did not actually expect much when he started to market the roaster.

This product, however, has sold some 8,500 units so far since it hit the 
market six years ago, even though it has not been widely advertised, except on 
the website of Atelier Non-Electric. "I think it means there are more people 
enjoying the process," Fujimura says. "So far in Japan, people have sought 
comfort, convenience, and speed. But we can't always find happiness that way. I 
think the popularity of the roaster shows that some people have started 
thinking that speed is not always the best answer."


What Kind of Technology Does Not Hamper Sustainability?

Although it is a very simple tool, it took six months to develop the roaster. 
Coffee beans need to be roasted evenly. The material used needs good thermal 
conductivity so that it will not take too long to roast beans. Also, the shape 
had to be designed so that the raw coffee beans roll around easily in the 
container. Furthermore, the sound of the rolling beans needs to be pretty and 
pleasant. "To make a good non-electric roaster, I needed to use my ingenuity. 
Thus it took me half a year," Fujimura laughs.

"Actually, it takes more time to develop low-tech than it does to develop 
high-tech although we tend to think of advanced scientific technology when we 
say 'technology,' while we take low-tech lightly," says Fujimura. On this 
misplaced assumption, we tend to desire the products of excessively advanced 
science and technology that promote convenience and comfort, and thus we have 
placed a huge burden on the environment, leading to the energy crisis and 
other critical situations.

On the other hand, Fujimura does not deny technology itself. His problem is 
with technology that hampers sustainability. He sometimes holds workshops on 
making non-electric refrigerators that are geared to non-scientific mothers 
with small children. These non-electric fridges are so simple that such 
mothers can easily set them up. We can fix what we make ourselves when it is 
broken. As science and technology advance, we need to take back technologies 
that anybody can build, use and repair. Fujimura thinks that is one of the 
keys to stopping runaway science and technology.


Rethinking Affluence

The non-electric way of life that Fujimura suggests is not just a lifestyle 
without electricity. It also incorporates his philosophy on leading a happy 
and affluent life using appropriate technology without depending on energy and 
money.

Fujimura's dream is to make the Non-Electric Atelier a theme park that 
showcases the many options we have for fun, affluence, and happiness, 
particularly in the area of housing. He wants to show that non-electric houses 
- -- even when they are built by non-professionals -- are lovely yet strong, 
good for the health while consuming little or no energy, and furthermore can 
be built practically for free. He would like to make the atelier a kind of 
housing exhibit, and believes it will encourage people in the younger 
generation who feel they can't afford to own a home.

Awareness of the energy crisis is growing worldwide and in Japan, where many 
people are re-thinking their energy supply after the Great East Japan 
Earthquake. In this context, on non-electric technology is becoming 
increasingly important.


- -- 

.

"We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of Government,
nor are we for this party nor against the other but we are
for justice and mercy and truth and peace and true freedom,
that these may be exalted in our nation, and that goodness,
righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace and unity with
God, and with one another, that these things may abound."
(Edward Burrough, 1659 - from 'Quaker Faith and Practice')

Paul's book, "Energy Beyond Oil", is out now!
For details see http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/ebo/

Read my 'essay' weblog, "Ecolonomics", at:
http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/ecolonomics/

Paul Mobbs, Mobbs' Environmental Investigations
3 Grosvenor Road, Banbury OX16 5HN, England
tel./fax (+44/0)1295 261864
email - mobbsey at gn.apc.org
website - http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/index.shtml
public key - http://www.fraw.org.uk/mei/mobbsey-2011.asc

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v2.0.16 (GNU/Linux)
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=2cTU
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

More information about the Diggers350 mailing list