Japan's MOE Promoting 'Super Cool Biz' Campaign for 2012 to Help Save Energy

Copyright Challenge 25 committee

Japan's Ministry of the Environment announced on May 25, 2012, that it would promote its "Super Cool Biz" campaign for 2012, which encourages people to change their fashions and habits at the workplace, by wearing more casually and shifting working hours. The activities aim for living more comfortably at a room temperature of 28 degrees Celsius in summer.

In view of the electric power saving required this year following last year's campaign, as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the ministry launched the "Cool Biz" campaign earlier, from May 1, and will continue it until October 30. In addition, as part of its umbrella campaign called the "Cool Summer 2012", the ministry takes a leading part in the "Super Cool Biz" campaign, from June 1 to September 30 that is a term of full-scale enforcement of the "Cool Biz"campaign.

The activities include promoting the use of cooler fashions such as (1) wearing polo shirts and 'kariyushi' (traditional shirt worn in Okinawa), and (2) using paper fans, folding fans, and parasols. A "Cool Work" campaign is also being promoted so people shift their working hours to start earlier in the morning, avoid overtime work, and take longer summer vacations.

Furthermore, MOE is promoting "Cool Sharing" -- which is an idea of sharing cool places with other people rather than using individual air conditioners. The proposal is being publicized with the cooperation of Tama Art University. The ministry says that spending time with one's family in the same room, or going to places like libraries to cool off, will not only help people to get through the summer in comfort but also strengthen their family and community ties.

Japan's MOE Promoting 'Super Cool Biz' for 2011 (Related JFS article)
75,000 Barbershops across Japan Become 'Cool Biz Barbershops' by Setting A/C Temperature at 28C (Related JFS article)

Posted: 2012/08/15 06:00:15 AM