80% of Japanese Homemakers Sweat When Cooking in Summer

While Japanese office workers make efforts not to overuse air conditioners by wearing light clothes as part of a government promotion known as "Cool Biz," Japanese homemakers are cooking in a way to fight against global warming. Calling the homemakers "Cool Wives," Mizkan Group, a Japanese food manufacturing group, conducted an online survey of their efforts targeting homemakers in the Metropolitan Tokyo and Kansai areas in June 2006. Findings from 485 responses showed what typical Japanese Cool Wives do during their homemaking activities.

Cool Wives use electric or paper fans, wear light clothes, and perform housework during the cool morning hours, while the Cool Biz campaign promotes wearing light clothes in summer offices by shedding ties and jackets, and setting office air conditioners no cooler than 28 degrees Celsius. According to the survey, 23.5 percent of respondents set their air conditioners over 28 degree Celsius in the daytime, as recommended by the national campaign, and more than half set them lower than 28. Meanwhile 20 percent don't have or use air conditioners.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents do the cooking without air conditioning in the kitchen. They wear half-sleeved shirts and shorts, wiping off the sweat with towel hung around the neck. Nearly 60 percent don't wear aprons in the kitchen, possibly because it is too hot. As most respondents believe that nutritious food is needed for their families' health, particularly in the hot summer, more than half are willing to bear heat in the kitchen.

More than 70 percent said that Cool Wives' activities lead to money saving. It is assumed that many homemakers practiced Cool Wives' activities this summer to save money in addition to fighting global warming.

http://www.mizkan.net/

Posted: 2006/10/30 08:24:01 AM
Japanese version