世論 What Japan Thinks

Recently, goo Research, in conjuction with All About, looked at young married women and ecology and lifestyle.

Demographics

Between the 3rd and 5th of July 2008 1,039 married women from the goo Research online monitor panel successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 100% of the sample was female, of course, 33.3% in their twenties, 32.6% in their thirties, and 34.1% in their forties. 38.4% were full-time employees, 11.4% contract or dispatch staff, and 50.2% were full-time housewives. I don’t know why no part-timers or students were in the sample.

A recent story from the New York Times misrepresented the situation regarding energy consumption of heated toilets, but thinking about the situation more and seeing a couple of much more efficient European products, I realised the biggest domestic energy saving that can be made with little alteration to the average Japanese person’s lifestyle is to replace the hot water pot with some of the newer types of kettle.

I was going to post something describing the relative power consumptions, but it’s really difficult to get figures for kettles in sensible units – all I got was stuff like “If everyone boiled only the water they needed to make a cup of tea instead of filling the kettle every time, we could save enough electricity in a year to power the UK’s street lights for nearly 7 months. This is the equivalent of the electricity used by 300,000 households for a year or output of a typical power station for nearly 5 months.” If these figures weren’t incomprehensible enough, it said the above would save “enough CO2 to fill Big Ben tower more than 50,000 times.”

Just how much CO2 is 50,000 Big Ben’s worth?

Research results

Q1: Are you aware of ecological matters in your daily life? (Sample size=1,039)

Aware of it	15.7%
Somewhat aware of it	63.9%
Not aware of it	20.4%

Q2: Do you use an “Eco Bag” (reusable shopping bag)? (Sample size=1,039)

Usually carry with me when I go out shopping (to SQ)	38.4%
Carry with me when going shopping nearby only (to SQ)	21.8%
Sometimes carry with me (to SQ)	20.4%
Aware I should carry, but almost never do (to SQ)	14.1%
Don’t carry	5.4%

Q2SQ: What prompted you to think about using an “Eco Bag”? (Sample size=983, multiple answer)

Get points, special service if I refuse one	76.1%
Good for the environment	74.0%
Easier to carry than check-out bags	34.4%
Got eco bag as a present, etc	30.8%
Shop charges for check-out bags	28.5%
Stronger, larger capacity than check-out bags	26.9%
Eco bag is cute, looks good	21.7%
Other	5.2%

Q3: Have you bought or sold on an auction web site? (Sample size=1,039, multiple answer)

Have offered own goods for sale (to SQ)	37.2%
Bought goods (to SQ)	54.9%
Neither bought nor sold	38.8%

Q3SQ: Why have you bought or sold on an auction web site? (Sample size=636, multiple answer)

Cheap/get money rather than throwing away	84.1%
Mottainai	34.6%
Fun to do	26.6%
Good for the environment	18.4%
Friends were doing it	2.4%
Other	7.4%

Q4: Have you bought or sold at a recycle shop, second-hand shop? (Sample size=1,039, multiple answer)

Have sold own goods (to SQ)	36.1%
Bought goods (to SQ)	37.4%
Neither bought nor sold	47.1%

Q4SQ: Why have you bought or sold at a recycle shop, second-hand shop? (Sample size=550, multiple answer)

Cheap/get money rather than throwing away	85.1%
Mottainai	38.2%
Fun to do	4.9%
Good for the environment	28.0%
Friends were doing it	1.1%
Other	3.5%

Q5: Have you bought or sold at a fleamarket? (Sample size=1,039, multiple answer)

Have sold own goods (to SQ)	13.6%
Bought goods (to SQ)	28.4%
Neither bought nor sold	67.2%

Q5SQ: Why have you bought or sold at a fleamarket? (Sample size=341, multiple answer)

Cheap/get money rather than throwing away	77.4%
Mottainai	27.3%
Fun to do	37.5%
Good for the environment	25.5%
Friends were doing it	3.8%
Other	5.0%

The 223 people who had done none of the above three were asked this question.

Q6: Why have you not bought or sold at neither an auction web site, a recycle or second-hand shop, nor a fleamarket? (Sample size=1,039, multiple answer)

Takes time, effort; bothersome	57.4%
Don’t know how to do it	31.4%
Don’t know where to do it, locations are too far away	17.9%
Expensive, has fees	12.6%
No friends are doing it	6.3%
Not interested in recycling, ecology	1.4%
Other	15.3%

Now, all the correspondents were shown an image similar to this one of a sample energy efficiency sticker that appear on many electrical items:

Q7: Do you know about the energy efficiency label? (Sample size=1,039)

Know the key details, their meanings, etc	10.1%
Have seen them, but don’t know the details, meanings, etc	43.1%
Don’t know, never seen them	46.8%

Next, they had the energy efficiency label details explained to them, and they answered the following questions.

Q8: Do you plan to buy any items with an energy efficiency label? (Sample size=1,039, multiple answer)

Air conditioner	85.9%
Refrigerator	85.5%
Microwave	54.0%
Television	53.5%
Lighting	48.7%
Rice cooker	34.6%
Heated toilet seat	31.0%
DVD recorder	18.5%
Something other than the above	6.9%
None in particular	5.7%

Q9: Do you think an ecological lifestyle will save money from your family budget, or cost more? (Sample size=1,039)

Will save a lot	21.9%
Will save a little	50.5%
Can’t say, no effect	22.8%
Will cost a little more	4.0%
Will cost a lot more	0.8%