As the year comes to an end, the term “decluttering” becomes more prominent. Especially last year, due to the impact of COVID-19, many might have organized their surroundings.

In the 15th newsletter sent out in September of last year, we focused on articles related to Amazon’s approach to inventory disposal, case studies of upcycling brands, and the art of Kintsugi repair. Given the increasing importance of environmental consideration in recent years, efforts to reduce waste and extend product lifespans in various industries are expected to continue to be promoted this year.

As I write this article, I happened to look up the trending words of 2021 and found that “Totono” (a Japanese word meaning “to be organized”) and “NFT” were nominated. From the perspective of consumer culture, which is a major theme of this newsletter, saunas involve experiential consumption, while NFTs involve the consumption of digital content. In this way, changes in lifestyle and technology also influence our consumer culture.

With multifaceted perspectives to decipher these changes, I look forward to delivering the newsletter to all of you in 2022.

It’s been over two years since the global spread of the coronavirus, and during these two years, the way we work and spend time at home has changed significantly. With “remote” becoming a keyword in various aspects, homes have taken on an important role as workspaces. While your home is still organized from the year-end cleaning, it might be a good time to reconsider “the way of homes and spaces.”

In this article, the impact of having greenery as part of interior design on human performance is discussed. Now that many of us are working from home, interior greens are becoming a key for refreshing our mood.

Furthermore, rearranging the living space can be a great way to refresh one’s mindset. However, completely replacing existing furniture with new ones can be quite challenging. Amidst this, services that allow furniture rental have started to emerge. Additionally, stores that handle vintage furniture and IKEA, which buys and resells unused furniture, provide such services. By utilizing these services, we can smartly enjoy interior design in 2022.

Welcoming 2022, many people make resolutions to challenge themselves with new things. One such recommendation is to develop the habit of exercise. Viewing social trends from the perspective of resource reuse

According to a study mentioned in The New York Times, walking around 7000 to 8000 steps per day is necessary for longevity. While this might seem surprisingly few, it can reduce the risk of premature death by around 70%.

Why not use this number to reflect on last year and set new goals for the new year?

Speaking for myself, I’m also confronting my 2021 step count data while staring at my bloated belly due to both study abroad and New Year’s indulgence.

In the era of living to 100, the value of staying healthy for a long time will only increase.

This year too, I look forward to keeping an eye on the latest trends in the health tech field, such as the ecosystem centered around health care data and the health tech trends covered in #8 The Medicine Cabinet of 2030.

With over 20 newsletters delivered thanks to the contributions of the members and readers, we have covered a wide range of topics from distribution, production, community, environmental issues, health care, public matters, housing, and more, all from the perspective of consumer culture. Among these topics, for the year 2020, I am considering focusing on “resource reuse.”

As mentioned in The New York Times article “Observing US Economic Trends in 2021,” supply chain disruption was a challenge for the US economy in 2021 due to factors such as increased transportation costs during the pandemic, heightened individual consumption, and supply shortages due to natural disasters. As solutions to these challenges, I am particularly interested in resource reuse and the decentralization of distribution and production.

Apple aims to achieve net-zero by building its own supply chain and product life cycle, ensuring a stable supply of high-quality products and considering 2030.

CEO Tim Cook states, “The innovations that underpin Apple’s efforts to address climate change not only help the environment but also further improve the energy efficiency of our products and enable clean energy resources to be deployed around the world. Taking action on climate change has the potential to unleash a new era of innovation, create jobs, and lay the foundation for sustainable economic growth. Our commitment to being carbon neutral will have a ripple effect and bring about even greater change.”

Not only in America but also in Europe, there are fascinating developments. The watch components manufacturer “Panatere” is experimenting with using recycled steel in product manufacturing and incorporating solar energy from a solar furnace in southern France. These efforts have been recognized locally and a block of the raw material is even exhibited in the collection of the International Watchmaking Museum. Raphaël Broye, the representative, impressively states, “What we want to do is an antithesis to (overconnected) globalization.”

Resource reuse is closely tied not only to environmental issues but also to various social trends. Thus, it might become an observation point for 2022. With a sense of its importance, I will continue to focus on it.

As mentioned in The New York Times article “Observing US Economic Trends in 2021,” supply chain disruption was a challenge for the US economy in 2021 due to factors such as increased transportation costs during the pandemic, heightened individual consumption, and supply shortages due to natural disasters. As solutions to these challenges, I am particularly interested in resource reuse and the decentralization of distribution and production.