We, Akita Elpida, organizes hands-on recycle handicraft workshops using PPbands (polypropylene bands) collected from shipments to our factories.  This year celebrates the third anniversary,  seeing more inquiries coming in from various organizations in Akita. 
In May, jointly with Akita Children's Hall, offered was an event titled "Culture Course for Moms with Nursery Service Provided:  Let's Give Thought to Ecology through the Recycle Handicraft."
Eight people participated in this handicraft workshop and made small
fancy baskets using the recycled PP bands.  They said "I had a good
time.  I want to participate next year as well." "If offered again in
summer, we'd like to be back for the kid's school summer assignment." We hope this workshop serves as a starting point for communication between parents and children on the environment.  Through a variety of activities, we will be more deeply involved in the community and will enhance the efficient use of resources.

We collect and donate used plastic bottle caps to volunteer organizations in Akita. The donated caps are sold to recycling business and help the organizations’ activities to send vaccines to children in developing countries.

From June, 2008 to March, 2009, about 17,700 caps were collected, which means we were able to make 22 vaccine products' worth of donation and also we reduced CO2 emission by about 139Kg.

Akita Prefecture designates April as "Akita Clean Month," and the second Sunday of April as Akita Beautiful Sunday for its environmental improvement project.  In tune with this prefecture-wide project, Akita Elpida volunteer to clean up the roadsides around our building and neighboring areas.

This year's Akita Beautiful Sunday, blessed with good weather, we expanded the clean up coverage further from the regular roadsides.  The greater number of participating employees seen each time, including repeaters and newcomers, this precious environment-related activity has been steadily spreading among us.