Talk on Renewable resources at Convention by Beverly Kho
Sarawak Tribune, Wednesday, June 30, 2004

KUCHING - Takashi "Tachi" Kiuchi is a strong proponent of organisations utilising renewable energy and material sources. This dedication to preserving the environment has led Kiuchi to cofound and chair "The Future 500" in the US and Japan. Future 500 strives to promote sustainable industry and sound environmental practices.

The utilisation of renewable resources requires an absolute understanding of five fundamental principles - the acceptance of natural system as the primary systems, a re-evaluation of the concept of 'value' in modern society, active reinvestment in the health of natural systems, a realisation of the prime importance of resource productivity in production and a realisation that consumption and accumulation of wealth cannot produce human happiness.

Modern civilization, Kiuchi contends, was built on the exploitation of natural resources. A company running on the depletion of resources, instead of creating sufficient continuous streams of revenue, face bankruptcy.

Kiuchi laments the fact that mankind has continued to build its economy overwhelmingly on non-renewable natural capital. he goes as far as to call this suicidal behavior.

This and many more scintillating ideas will be presented by Kiuchi in his paper entitled 'What I Learned in the Rainforest' during the upcoming New Zealand Alumni Convention (NZAC) 2004, from the 8 to 10 July.

Kiuchi is the first executive from overseas operations appointed to the board of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in Tokyo and currently serves as a counselor. Kiuchi is a strong advocate of creating corporate culture from the best of both Japanese and non-Japanese business practices. By stressing the value of each individual, he urges his managers to combine team-work, trust and communication to build strong and personal relationships.

In 1992, Kiuchi received the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affair Award for promoting greater US-Japan understanding, in 1995, he received the International Citizenship Award from the Japan America Society, and in 2000 Appreciation Award from World Association of Representatives for Descendants.

Kiuchi is the author of 'Working in America,' 'Good Morning, This is Kiuchi Talking,' 'New Economy - Proposal from the Rainforest,' 'New advocacy of Learning - Road to Ecological Economy,' and 'What We Learned in the Rainforest - Business Lessons from Nature.'

Kiuchi ws born in Germany in 1935, spending his first few years there and in England before relocating to Japan in 1939. He  earned his B.A in economics from Keio University in Tokyo in 1958, and his M.A from the University of British Columbia, Canada in 1960.

For more information about NZAC 2004, please call: Anna at 088-238594/249166 (Kota Kinabalu), Lim at 019-8546890/085-414616 (Miri), Judy at 084-335398 (Sibu) or the NZAC Secretariat at 082-334299/337299 or email nzac@nzcentre.biz

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