There is this local entrepreneur in Nara, that is the Japanese tourist destination has developed a brand new and a more safe alternative to plastic shopping bags. This invention comes up in his mind to protect the town’s sacred deer.
The particular local entrepreneur named Hidetoshi Matsukawa who works for Nara-ism, one of the well-known souvenir wholesale agents. He stated, he heard that the deer, which roam the city’s park last year, was dying after it ingesting plastic bags. He also said, “I wanted to do something to protect the deer, which is the symbol of Nara”.
Nara city is actually the home sweet home to around 1,000 sacred deer. These deer are officially designated as a national natural treasure that are originated from Japan. Because of that, many kind tourists feed them treats.
However, shockingly in the month of July 2019, a local welfare group stated that nine deer had been found dead, with plastic bags in their stomachs. Due to that, they called on visitors not to throw away plastic bags in the park.
Hidetoshi Matsukawa wanted to come up with a different solution which would be a convenience for everyone to solve the problem. He decided to team up with a local paper manufacturer and a design firm to work on the project.
From their collaboration, they have invented “Shikagami” or even know as deer paper. This particular invention of deer paper is made only from rice bran and also milk cartons. Hidetoshi Matsukawa said, “We learned rice bran is mostly wasted in the process of rice polishing”. He also added, “So this paper helps to reduce that waste as well”.
This invention of deer paper bags has been tested and Hidetoshi Matsukawa said that they are safe for human consumption. Other than that, he also mentioned laughingly, “We do not have the data to back up that this paper is not harmful to deer, but I believe this is safe for them as well as for human beings”.
He said, “The news about the death of deer by plastic bags creates a negative image, as though the park is a cemetery for deer”. He also added, “The paper bags can protect deer, as well as the brand image of Nara with deer”.
Sources: CNN News.