An estimated 460,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were cut during the summer months in 2005 as a result of the introduction of the "Cool Biz" campaign, one of Japan's efforts to tackle global warming, according to the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. "Cool Biz" is the nickname given to lightweight business attire, which helps workers feel cool and work effectively in offices where the temperatures of air conditioners are set at around 28 degrees Celsius.
The ministry conducted a questionnaire survey on its Web site on Sept. 30, targeting 1,200 men and women. Of the respondents, 32.7% said that air conditioners at their workplaces in the summer of 2005 were set at less cool levels than in previous summers. Calculations based on this figure reveal an approximate reduction of 460,000 tons of CO2 emissions, roughly equivalent to monthly emissions from 1 million households.
Encouraged by the fact that as many as 95.8% of the respondents were well aware of the "Cool Biz" campaign, the ministry will continue to promote the new dress code.Japan for Sustainability via GreenBiz
