Everybody Has Issues...

          A major concern affecting Tokyo is the environmental crises which they face. The first issue is the threat of damaging people’s health due to air pollution caused by all of the cars on the road due to the significant increase in population. Since Tokyo is such a large city, the high population causes for more chemicals to be released in the atmosphere putting the people at a higher risk for health issues. To improve the air quality in Tokyo, various emission control measures are trying to be introduced to help improve their way of life. The second issue that Tokyo faces is the “heat island effect.” The “heat island effect” is due to the rising heat in the city because of surfaces such as asphalt, concrete, and tall buildings. These block the air from a breeze creating a warmer environment. In order to improve the heat levels in Tokyo, rooftop gardens are now recommended. The Tokyo governor, Shintaro Ishihara, is promoting environmental improvement throughout the city. New “green” rooftops are required for buildings that have a ground surface of over 1000 sq m, and as a result 54.5 hectares of rooftops had been “greened” because of this requirement in order to improve the heat levels for the population of Tokyo. 

Green Roof in Tokyo

Smog in Tokyo