Energy Savings Kaizen: Switch on to Use

This week we are leading a big group on a lean manufacturing study mission in Japan. We call it the Japan Kaikaku Experience because we learn from companies that have gone through or are still going through kaikaku , a lean business transformation. The study mission is also designed to give participants a personal kaikaku, or mental transformation through seeing, hearing, discussion, and reflection. We’ve proudly conducted almost 90 of these tours and are excitedly anticipating our 100th next year. I’m eager to share and discover insights and “a-ha!” moments with you this week.

Japan’s Green Evolution: Conservation to Kaizen

Japanese society is very environmentally conscious. About 130 million people live in a space one-third the size of California, and most of them in half a dozen big cities. The mountains and the ocean are never far away. Being an advanced industrial nation, it would be easy for the environment to degrade rapidly without careful attention. Interestingly, Japan has experienced a journey from clean, to polluted, and back to pristine. This has positioned the country as a benchmark not only in environmental conservation but also in green kaizen practices.

Given the high energy costs, Japan emphasizes efficient energy use. Having stayed in numerous hotels across various countries, encountering a refrigerator with an on-off switch accompanied by an energy-conscious instruction label was a unique experience for me in Japan.

The Impact of Thoughtful Energy Practices

Many energy treasure hunts emphasize the mantra “turn it off” for appliances or machinery when not in use. This is an effort to curtail wasteful energy consumption. With hotel refrigerators, even though they aren’t frequently used, they constantly draw power to maintain their cool temperature. However, in this particular hotel, the default setting for refrigerators is “off.” It’s only powered on when a guest requires its use. Such an energy kaizen is straightforward, seemingly obvious, yet profoundly effective.

Ron Pereira
September 14, 2010 - 7:09 am
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It would be interesting to do a study on how much energy is used to “cool it down” once the switch is flipped. Now, if there are rarely guests who use it then, yes, this seems to be a great idea. But if it is being constantly turned on and off I wonder how energy efficient this really is since the fridge no doubt has to work very hard to get it cooled down from the “warm state.” Interesting idea though!
Joseph
September 14, 2010 - 8:20 am
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Jon.
I am always amazed at the ingenuity of the people of japan. They claim Green Credentials for themselves by saying they care about the planet while wiping out the Whales.
I think they can stick their claim to Be Green, where the sun does not shine. As I do not want to live on a planet that has destroyed such a beautiful species as The Whale.
I will give japan a capital letter when they show that they deserve it.
The only good thing is that they are not boasting to the world they they are killing the Whales at +/- 6 sigma rates and that they have Created Standardised Work Sheet for it. They can not see that the world they will be saving by switching off the fridge will be nothing like the one we currently live in. Picture a world with NO CREATURES AT ALL and then tell me its OK.
There is no chance of saving other endangered species in poorer countries if rich ones like japan show that they do not care. When the Whales are all gone and every other creature that other nations choose to eradicate along with them japan can say. Well we did our bit to save the plannet by desigining a fridge that had an instruction to switch it off.
I would like to give the Whales a switch to fight back.
Mark Welch
September 14, 2010 - 11:54 am
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Joseph,
Even though you moved the discussion in a different direction your point is a good one. The hypocrisy seems clear, however we can’t assume that the same people who are promoting the green method above are killing the whales. In fact, maybe the only thing they have in common is that they are Japanese. Just like Rush Limbaugh and I are Americans it doesn’t mean I agree with him. In fact, I disagree with most everything that man says and stands for. Yet, if someone judged me based on what he says and does, just because I am an American, I would think that their judgment was unfair.
I certainly agree with you, though, that what SOME Japanese fishing boats are doing to whales and other species is horrific. Very tragic.
Jon Miller
September 14, 2010 - 2:34 pm
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Hi Ron. Interesting question. I wonder if the same argument could be made for leaving the lights, heat / air conditioning, hot water, background music, television on all of the time?
Joseph – the Japanese are more socially conscious in some areas than people in some other countries, and less so in other areas. Everyone needs to take the best from everyone. Hard to do when we can’t agree on what is good.
Joseph
September 19, 2010 - 1:03 pm
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Mark.
I totally agree with your assessment of my comments about the Japanese. However it must be understood that my comments were aimed at not only those who catch and kill the Whales but also the Japanese PEOPLE who elect a government into power that goes to WORLD MEETINGS and refuse to ban the killing of Whales. I have no problem eating Whales, White Tigers, Mountain Gorilla’s, Pandas or any other species if there is an excess. It is like every other food source but when the countries of the WORLD say thet they are endangered then some sick little country should not be allowed to continue the killing. When will they stop.
If the government that represents your people takes an action then you can not wash your hands of what they are doing. There are no innocents when the government has made a decision. The Japanese government is supporting the eradication of Whales. So the Japanese people will have to shoulder the collective blame when they are all gone.
On the subject of Mr Limbaugh. If your government supports his right to free speech then you must all take a portion of that decision when it goes wrong. He chose to insult a peoples religion. As a man of God he must understand the reaction that this brings from people who have A TRUE RELIGION. People have given their lives to and for most of the worlds religions. I am not Muslim but all people’s beliefs should be respected.
Jon.
I am not dealing with any other attributes that the Japanese people may have. As the Whales will be GONE for the whole of the World then they are putting 2 fingers up to us all when they continue KILLING THEM. Please either support it or condemn it but there is no place on the fence on this one. Wrong is wrong even if every one is doing it. And right is right even if no body is doing it.
Jon Miller
September 19, 2010 - 8:28 pm
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Hi Joseph
I’m with you on the whaling issue.
Jon