To see how difficult it is to live a life without it, JT staff writer Andrew McKirdy spent a week trying to avoid single-use plastic. Also on this episode, Mona Neuhauss of No Plastic Japan. Hosted by Oscar Boyd.

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• Redefining Japan's energy needs (Alex Martin)

• Tackling climate issues is key to the next decade (Masami Ito)

• Emergency on Japan's lucky island (Jesse Chase-Lubitz and Oscar Boyd)

• Throwaway society: Rejecting a life consumed by plastic (Andrew McKirdy)

• Stores in Japan Environment Ministry building to stop handing out plastic bags (Tomohiro Osaka, The Japan Times)

• Minimum ¥1 fee for plastic bags to kick in weeks before Tokyo Olympics (The Japan Times/JiJi)

• 77% in Japan support fees for plastic shopping bags (The Japan Times/Jiji)