Let's protect our playing field, start POW JAPAN

02/25/2019

On February 2019, 2, the launch event of POW JAPAN was held.I've heard about "POW" and "POW JAPAN" from before, and I was wondering what kind of organization it was and what kind of activities it was going to do, so I participated and listened to it.

POW is an abbreviation for "Protect Our Winters" and is an organization that protects snow and winter from the climate changes that are currently occurring on the earth (POW).POW JAPAN). Launched in 2007 at the behest of professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones and his colleagues, the movement, which began in the United States, has now grown to 12 countries, including Japan, and is supported by more than 13 supporters.POW JAPAN started as an organization of this POW in Japan.Goro Komatsu, a professional snowboarder, will serve as the representative director.

Goro began to think about the relationship between snowboarding and the natural environment while working as a professional snowboarder in Canada.After moving to Hakuba, he learned about bowl culture and organized the event himself.He also wanted to create a snowboard course there and make it an event where he could play without using a lot of energy and without putting a burden on nature as much as possible.While making such an attempt, I got a voice from POW in my home country and decided to start POW JAPAN.

Dream terrain event "DREAM SESSION" organized by Goro

Behind the scenes of DREAM SESSION (2016 season)

So what kind of activities will POW JAPAN carry out?

the ATLAS project
(1) Dissemination of information (at the site of websites, SNS, snow events, etc.)
Disseminate various information on climate change on POW JAPAN's official website and SNS.What kind of climate change is occurring on a global scale, how it is changing compared to the past, the future climate predicted as a result, the key to the solution to mitigate it, etc. are constantly updated.

(2) Implementation of environmental education
Professional snowboarders and skiers will pass on their experiences to children in order to develop leaders who will protect the environment of the next generation.We will convey knowledge about environmental issues, why we care about climate change, and why it is important to take action to protect the field, including conscious parts.

(3) Policy recommendations
We will take advanced measures against climate change, strengthen ourselves as a snow community, and work on policies for ski resorts and local governments.What POW wants to achieve most is to approach the structure of society, such as by influencing the policies of local governments and the business methods of companies with the collective power centered on the snow community.

And the most important thing.He said that everyone's cooperation was needed.
Changing the environment is not easy. It is difficult to just leave it to POW JAPAN.The small powers of each person will come together to become a great power that can change the structure of the environment and society.I think so.I hope that not only specific people will do their best, but that they will get the knowledge from the information that they know about their activities and send out, and that each of them will have an opportunity to think and do something. I would like to continue to convey POW's activities and information at FREERUN and consider the importance of tackling environmental problems.Let's enjoy our favorite snowboarding for decades to come.