1,000 sustainable businesses join mymizu platform to fight plastic waste!
Over 1,000 cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops and businesses have joined the free water refill platform “mymizu”, stepping up the fight against plastic waste and paving the way towards a more sustainable society!
(Tokyo, May 20th, 2021)
An increasing number of shops, cafes, hotels and other businesses are taking action for sustainability and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing issues like food waste, plastic pollution and climate crisis.
Since 2019, mymizu has been welcoming a wide range of businesses, known as ‘refill partners’, to its free water refill platform that helps people avoid plastic bottles and enjoy more sustainable lifestyles, creating a circular economy model that is accessible to all.
These businesses register for free on mymizu, enabling anyone to visit and refill their reusable bottles with drinking water (eg. from a water server, jug or tap), eliminating the need for water in plastic bottles and uncovering an eco-friendly network for hydration.
As the businesses take action to protect people and the planet, they enjoy increased foot traffic to their stores and a boost to brand image - at virtually no extra cost. This is especially timely now as the summer months approach, providing an opportunity for businesses to support their local communities by addressing the added risk of heat stroke.
"We’ve had a community member visiting Kamakura from Tokyo come into our cafe to have a conversation with me as well as a cyclist who came to refill his reusable bottle. Joining mymizu’s platform has provided us with a great opportunity to connect with others - both users and other refill partners - that are environmentally conscious. ” said Kimy of refill partner, HOUSE YUIGAHAMA.
Owner Chef of refill partner “la clarté”, Hikari Matsushita says "As much as we often hear keywords like ‘SDGs’ and ‘sustainability’ it seemed very complex and distant to us. When we decided to start taking action, we came across mymizu. The refill spot has become a natural place for our customers to become aware of sustainability. Our efforts to reduce the consumption of plastic bottles, plastic, and minimise food loss has caught the attention of MICHELIN and led us to receive the 2021 Green Star.”
This month, mymizu has reached a momentous milestone; 1,000 refill partners across all of Japan’s 47 Prefectures and another 10+ countries globally, ranging from small, family-run businesses to globally renowned brands like Audi and IKEA. Social Innovation Japan G.I.A., the organisation running mymizu, hopes to expand this network to 2,000+ by the end of this year and 5,000 by the end of 2022 on its mission to realise a more circular and sustainable society.
About mymizu
mymizu (“mizu” means water in Japanese) is a multiple-award-winning initiative to tackle plastic waste. The mymizu app connects people to 200,000 free water refill stations (water fountains and partner cafes, shops, hotels) globally. Using mymizu, it’s possible to refill your water bottle anywhere – it’s good for the planet, the body and the wallet! Furthermore, mymizu provides creative educational experiences, consultancy services and lifestyle products — building a movement towards a world where sustainable living is easy and fun!
How Businesses Can Join mymizu
Businesses can join mymizu by registering for free via this online form.
For information on mymizu:
Visit mymizu.co to find out more and to download the app. mymizu is borne out of Social Innovation Japan, a registered non-profit organisation with a mission to activate greater social innovation in and out of Japan.
