New 'Sukkiring' Project Invites Ideas Online to Solve Social Problems on the Streets

The Sukkiring Project, which invites people online to submit their ideas on solving social problems, was launched on September 4, 2012. "Sukkiring" is a compound word made up of "sukkiri," a Japanese word for feeling good, and the English word "ring," referring to the ring of a good feeling. The project was inaugurated by a team consisting of five organizations: Blabo!, provider of an online idea board service; Green Bird, a non-profit organization aiming to prevent littering; Shibukasa, which promotes umbrella recycling by providing an umbrella-lending service; b-cycle, which works to improve the manners of cyclists; and LOTTE Co., a general sweets producer which has long been engaged in the problem of chewing gum on sidewalks and streets.

The project involves plans to collect ideas online to solve social problems regarding litter, umbrellas, and illegally parked bicycles, and asks each concerned organization to work together on solving them.

Concerning the prevention of littering, for instance, Green Bird and LOTTE cooperated to collect ideas on Blabo!'s website and developed themes such as "Let's create a trash container that actually makes people want to throw litter into it." On October 28, 2012, a demonstration test was conducted to see a Halloween with no litter on the ground in Omote-Sando, the most fashionable shopping street in Tokyo.

Related JFS article:
Shibukasa, an Umbrella Lending Service
Japanese Non-Profit Group Spreading Anti-litter Message Across Country and Beyond
Shibuya Flower Project Volunteers Helping to Keep the Tokyo Clean