Comments on: Lessons of the Square Watermelon http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/2009/02/23/lessons-of-the-square-watermelon/ The Cities are Re-inventing Themselves Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:10:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: fedwards http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/2009/02/23/lessons-of-the-square-watermelon/comment-page-1/#comment-4168 fedwards Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:00:23 +0000 http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/?p=1096#comment-4168 Great comment! The issues you raise are really interesting - how increasingly density is leading to less consumption overall in terms of electricity, wasted food, big material goods, and so on. Great comment! The issues you raise are really interesting – how increasingly density is leading to less consumption overall in terms of electricity, wasted food, big material goods, and so on.

]]> By: AK http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/2009/02/23/lessons-of-the-square-watermelon/comment-page-1/#comment-4167 AK Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:07:11 +0000 http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/?p=1096#comment-4167 Oops, I've noticed many typos in my message...the longer I live in Tokyo, the worse my english gets! I meant to say: "in my suburb of Tokyo alone, there are more people residing here than the entire population of Canberra." Oops, I’ve noticed many typos in my message…the longer I live in Tokyo, the worse my english gets! I meant to say:
“in my suburb of Tokyo alone, there are more people residing here than the entire population of Canberra.”

]]> By: AK http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/2009/02/23/lessons-of-the-square-watermelon/comment-page-1/#comment-4166 AK Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:59:08 +0000 http://www.sustainablecitiesnet.com/?p=1096#comment-4166 As an aussie living in Tokyo now for 1.5 years, I've had to really readjust to the lack of space here. Just to give an idea of the level of density here: people live in my suburb alone then the whole of the population in Canberra. Being space efficient is critical, which has led many manufacturers to not just design products for one purpose but many. E.g. our microwave is also an oven, grill, steamer. All Tokyo machines are smaller than the aussie counterparts and use less energy. Store aisles are narrower and trolleys are small (they can only fit 2 baskets: one each on the top and bottom). Almost everyone here rides a bike, especially to the grocery store, encouraging you to buy less (buy only what you can fit on your bike and in your small fridge!) but buy more frequently - however the upside is you'll be buying food that's more fresh. Thinking about our life in Australia, we realise now how much unnecessary electricity, food and space we consumed: big houses, big stores, big cars, big fridges (and big stomachs!) - I think we all (but especially policymakers and city planners) need to completely re-think the way we live in the future to reduce our carbon footprint. As for the square watermelon, I haven't had the chance to taste it yet, as they're quite expensive here. I've heard that they're somewhat delicious, however not as delicious as the round ones - growing them in a box seems to affect the amount of light it receives & therefore the taste? But I can't verify if this is true. Thanks for the article! As an aussie living in Tokyo now for 1.5 years, I’ve had to really readjust to the lack of space here. Just to give an idea of the level of density here: people live in my suburb alone then the whole of the population in Canberra. Being space efficient is critical, which has led many manufacturers to not just design products for one purpose but many. E.g. our microwave is also an oven, grill, steamer. All Tokyo machines are smaller than the aussie counterparts and use less energy. Store aisles are narrower and trolleys are small (they can only fit 2 baskets: one each on the top and bottom). Almost everyone here rides a bike, especially to the grocery store, encouraging you to buy less (buy only what you can fit on your bike and in your small fridge!) but buy more frequently – however the upside is you’ll be buying food that’s more fresh. Thinking about our life in Australia, we realise now how much unnecessary electricity, food and space we consumed: big houses, big stores, big cars, big fridges (and big stomachs!) – I think we all (but especially policymakers and city planners) need to completely re-think the way we live in the future to reduce our carbon footprint.

As for the square watermelon, I haven’t had the chance to taste it yet, as they’re quite expensive here. I’ve heard that they’re somewhat delicious, however not as delicious as the round ones – growing them in a box seems to affect the amount of light it receives & therefore the taste? But I can’t verify if this is true.

Thanks for the article!

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