Chilean men told to leave their ties at home

Take off those neck ties.

It's time to loosen up the dress code, says the Chilean government. It's not a fashion statement though, but a money-saving measure.

The government thinks it can save $10 million over the summer months if buildings need to use less air conditioning.

It figures that if building temperatures are allowed to rise between 1 and 3 degrees Celsius, energy costs could drop by more than 3 percent.

To celebrate the unveiling of the campaign, titled “In summer, take off your tie,” several government ministers stripped off their ties in a video posted on YouTube (watch below).

But today, the ties were back — on the very same ministers who had promoted the initiative, reported El Mercurio.

Minister Joaquin Lavin was seen sporting a tie, as were ministers Rodrigo Hinzpeter, Felipe Larraín, Andrés Chadwick and Hernán de Solminihac.

Congressmen and judges also hadn't forsaken their traditional attire.

Men must really love their ties.

Follow Stephanie on Twitter: @stephaniegarlow

Will you support The World with a monthly donation?

Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you. We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.

Make a gift today, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000!