Fukushima: Japanese Tragedy Leads to Strides in Energy Conservation
Energy Consumption and the Workplace
Picture Bob Cratchit rubbing his hands together and blowing hot air between them in a futile attempt to warm them. Meanwhile, Scrooge, oblivious to the needs of others, scans his books and calculates his future earnings.
Fortunately, workplace heating and cooling has improved since Victorian times. Although no laws prevent companies from being Scrooges, if a legitimate complaint is filed, OSHA will step in and protect the whistleblower from retaliation from his or her employer.
Also, architects and engineers have a set of guidelines they must follow while designing and constructing workplaces. After all, it’s in no one’s best interest to have uncomfortable workers because it would lead to a loss in productivity. This doesn’t mean problems don’t exist, however.
Pollution: A Hot-and-Cold Issue
The main issue affecting workplaces today is how green employers are. Most of the world’s carbon dioxide pollution comes from power plants, and the energy those power plants make goes mostly to commercial buildings.
Building on that information, ask yourself what that energy is used for. Hopefully, you said heating and cooling. But it has become a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul situation because the planet is getting warmer. See the problem? More energy = more pollution = warmer planet. Regardless of whether you believe rising temperatures are a result of pollution, we can all agree that pollution isn’t helping. World leaders are trying to resolve the problem, but the country that deserves a shout-out is Japan.
Government and Private Sectors Get Cooler
Before the Fukushima tragedy, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment created the _Cool Biz_program, which required all government ministries to set their thermostat to 82 degrees during the summer. Workers were told to wear starched short-sleeved shirts and to leave the suits and ties at home. It only took the country two years to see dramatic results. Japan’s carbon dioxide emissions were cut by 1.5 million tons.
Since the nuclear disaster, Japan has created the _Super Cool Biz_program. Whereas the original program lasted from June to September, Super Cool Biz runs from May to October. Fukushima was inarguably a tragedy of epic proportions, but at least something positive came from it. During the first program, only government agencies took part. Now, a majority of the private sector participates as well. Governments and private employers around the world should follow suit to save energy and reduce harmful emissions.
