Geographical location
	Town of Sutama Lat. 35° 48' N Long. 132° 28' E Access from Tokyo about 3 1/3 hours by train to Hinoharu station from Hinoharu station about 15 minutes by bus from Osaka about 1 hour by bullet train to Nagoya sation from Nagoya about 3 hours by train
	Related links Sutama Town Yamanashi Prefecture

Since it was started in July 1995, Yamanashi Prefecture's Egusa Niko-Niko Children's Eco-Club has conducted a variety of local environmental preservation activities in the town of Sutama. At present, the club consists of 17 members: 5 middle and 7 elementary school students, and 5 adult supporters.

The club has two regular activities that it has been carrying out since it began. One of these is performing water-quality checks on the Shiokawa, a river running though the Egusa region. In the spring, club members perform an "exterior check," examining the river with their eyes, noses, and the rest of the five senses. In the summer, the club uses scientific instruments to measure how clear and clean the river water is. "The measurement results using instruments were surprisingly similar to those based on our senses," said one enthusiastic club member.

The data the club compiled on the Egusa region's air and water temperatures was sent to NASA, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, through the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program, where it is being used for research.

The other activity is the club's campaign to collect and remove trash. The Egusa region is located at the entrance to a popular tourist area, where garbage is often tossed out onto the road. Once a month, the club responds by collecting and separating a large volume of empty cans, cigarette butts, and other garbage, while also handing out bags to passing drivers, reminding them to take their garbage home with them and dispose of it properly rather than throw it out on the roads.

In areas where the littering problem was especially bad, the amount of garbage has decreased considerably thanks to group activities like planting flower beds and putting up signs. In addition to these activities, the club has recently started collecting waste paper from the city and bringing it to a factory that recycles it into toilet paper.

The club members are enthusiastic about urging others to join in the local eco-activities: "We wear yellow uniforms during our activities, so come and say hello if you see us"; "We'll be putting on the waste campaign this year as well"; "Adults, let's protect the Earth together!"

"I'm proud of the way the kids always think up and plan the activities themselves, and the way they make sure to see them through to completion," says supporter Tetsuo Tasaki, describing the club's character. Last year, in recognition of its activities to date, the club received an "Environmental Education Award" sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation.

Photos: (From top) Eco-club members check the water quality of the Shiokawa; the club promotes environmental preservation among tourists by handing out garbage bags; making soaps by using empty milk cartons; a commemorative photo taken when the group received an Environment Education Award from the Coca-Cola Foundation. (Tetsuo Tasaki)