[This is an EXCERPT: read the whole article here. -Ed.]

"Here in the mountains of northern Japan, wind, sun and even cow dung are being turned into electricity as part of efforts to turn a whole town into an experiment in renewable energy use."

"The town is a sprawling laboratory for the whole of the archipelago, which has almost no fossil fuels of its own and is seeking to diversify its energy sources to reduce dependence on Middle Eastern oil."

"The urgent task was to safeguard Kuzumaki's finances in the face of rural depopulation. The mayor set three priorities: the forest industry, dairy farming and clean energy."

"Through a mixture of clean energy and reforestation, the city reduced its carbon footprint by 39,000 tonnes to just 6,000 tonnes a year."

"And Kuzumaki, which presents itself as 'the city of milk, wine and clean energy,' now attracts 500,000 tourists a year, helping to spread the message."