This Sunday we hosted an Obon Sunday Pick Me Up with maybe the smallest group since we started this event! 
But you know what? It actually turned out to be one of my most memorable events – fewer attendees meant that we could walk around as ONE group, rather than five or six like we usually have to! We were also able to go to the pub afterwards, which we’ve never been able to do with so many people 
This time Jennifer delivered our Eco-Habit with support from first-time volunteer Keigo, and they both did an amazing job.
What’s our Eco-Habit this month? I’m so glad you asked 
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This month’s Eco-Habit is… Oshibori!
Outside of Japan, you guys probably know them as ‘wet towels’ and here in Japan, it’s pretty neat – when you buy food from a convenience store or sit down at a restaurant, you’re given an oshibori to clean your hands with 
So convenient!
But. As we know, convenience comes at a cost – 12 BILLION of these handy wipes are produced every year, on average.
Yowza.
These oshibori are individually-wrapped in plastic, and once you’ve used it, into the trash it goes. And you know what? These wipes are almost exclusively used in Japan! This waste is very avoidable. If every other country can do without them, why can’t we?
So here’s what we suggest…
(Thank you to Kaja for this fantastic pun)
Oshibori? How about NOshibori!
Delightful.
So next time you’re tempted to rip open an oshibori and wipe your hands, STOP!
Hit the bathroom, wash your hands like a regular person!
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Sunday Pick Me Up will be back next month, September 11, in Shirakawa Park!
We’ll see you then! 
– Matthew, Shehran, Jennifer and Masato
