In a country drowning itself in plastic, the creators of a new app called MyMizu are attempting to change seemingly entrenched views and cultural norms regarding sustainability.
It's a challenge the creators acknowledge, but they believe they are making inroads. Two weeks after the release of the app, which provides a map of places in Japan where water can be obtained for free, it already has more than 8,000 stations logged and over 5,000 downloads.
MyMizu helps people find free, public spots to get water. In addition to drinking fountains, it also shows restaurants, cafes and other businesses that have agreed to provide free refills. As spots are discovered or developed, users can add them to the database.