Toyota as an environmental model city: Is its eco-policy recognized?

Abstract

In 2009, Toyota City was selected by the Japanese government as an environmental model city in pursuit of a low carbon society. The city has been working on promoting its eco-policy and raising its citizens' awareness toward the establishment of an eco-city. For instance, Ecoful Town, a pavilion that demonstrates how Toyota City tackles challenges and elaborates on strategies toward a low-carbon society, has been established. Free papers with information on the city's eco-policy are distributed during civic events and mailed to 70% of the city's populace. The city has also created a Facebook account and provides a concept book for children to explain its eco-policy. However, the effectiveness of its eco-policy has not been studied yet. Through survey questionnaires with 229 individuals in Toyota City, this paper examines how much the city's eco-policy is recognized by its citizens. The collected data is analyzed in three different categories: personal information (i.e., age, sex, where they live), general information about public awareness of Toyota City's eco-policy (i.e., what citizens know or do not know about the city's general eco-policy), and more specific information about public awareness of Toyota City's eco-policy (i.e., what citizens know or do not know about the city's specific eco-policies on transportation, forests, the urban center, industry, and public welfare and livelihood). The findings show that less than 40% of Toyota City's citizens are aware of the city's eco-policy. This paper suggests that a target of 65-70% total citizen awareness of eco-policy initiatives be set to help guide public awareness campaigns.