Voluntary Blackout in Canada
In 2001, Canadian citizens held a voluntary blackout to protest the U.S. Bush Administration's energy policy to build one new nuclear power plant each month.

Inspired by the movement, Shin-ichi Tsuji, professor of Meiji Gakuin University, wanted to have one in Japan, too.

Tsuji is one of the founders of the non-governmental organization, the Sloth Club, whose focus is environmental and sustainable issues. Tsuji also runs "Café Slow."

He held the voluntary blackout at Café Slow. Originally, all of the lights were supposed to be turned off. However, he and his colleagues thought small children would be scared in the total darkness. So, they held the blackout event with candles.

"Spending time in the warm candlelight in the dark Café was really comfortable"--they received such warm and favorable comments from people who joined the event.

Kazuyoshi Fujita, president of Daichi-O-Mamoru-Kai (The Association to Preserve the Earth) heard the favorable comments about the Café Slow event. His organization is also a non-governmental organization. It offers home delivery of organic food and vegetables, and also forms a link between organic producers and consumers in Japan. He organized a "Candle Project" with the members of the association in the fall of 2001.