Convenience stores make our lives more comfortable, but when it comes to preventing global warming, they are causing big problems. They are lit up 24 hours a day. Customers can buy cold juices and hot coffee, make color copies, use online information terminals and withdraw cash from ATMs any time of day or night. Not one of these services is possible without the continuous use of electricity. Total CO2 emissions from convenience stores has doubled over the past 10 years since fiscal 1990, when the figure stood at 800,000 tons. Specialists from the Ministry of the Environment have been giving advice to convenience stores on how to reduce CO2 emissions.
A long time ago in Kansas, a young fellow with an urge to draw went from newspaper to newspaper to sell his cartoons. Each editor coldly informed him that he had no talent and advised him to forget it. However, he couldn't give up his dream. Finally, a priest employed the young man for hardly any pay to draw advertising pictures for church events. It seems the church had an old garage filled with mice and he was told he could stay there. And what do you know? One of those mice became world-famous, as did the young artist. The mouse became known to millions as Mickey Mouse; the artist was Walt Disney.
Many adults think Christmas is just a time when shopkeepers make a lot of money and everyone rushes around buying presents they don't want to give. But have they grown so far away from their own childhood that they can't remember all the good things? Christmas takes you out of the ordinary routine of life. For children, excitement mounts as decorations are put up and December 25 approaches. At Christmas time everyone seems much friendly to each other. You can say "Merry Christmas!" to strangers, and they will smile and reply. Giving presents can be very satisfying if you plan in advance and really think of the right present for the right person.