Super Cool Biz!

Since the March 11 Earthquake, Tsunami and Reactor situation in Japan life has undergone many changes. With electricity output around 40% lower due to reactor closures, the Government has put restrictions in place.  Businesses, including schools, and homes are being encouraged to cut 15% of power usage through a number of initiatives:

• Turning off unnecessary lights - companies and apartments have removed light bulbs as a measure of power reduction.
• Turning off unnecessary appliances –even the small local shop next door to the AT office has turned off one of their fridges and reduced the number of cold items available at any one time. In a more controversial move the government has suggested turning off the thousands of vending machines found on every street in this vast city. Keep posted for more updates on this move which could mean fewer cold drinks available during this hot summer!
• Keep the air-conditioning at 28’c. This result’s in subway trains being even hotter, lobbies hotter, department stores and hotels hotter, offices hotter and with outside temps rising into the mid-30’s its getting hotter for summer in this city.

In the AT office here in Tokyo temperatures are being kept at around 28’c. To combat the heat “super cool biz” has been introduced for all AT staff when not meeting customers – AT logo golf shirts, shorts and summer dresses are encouraged to help us beat the heat and do our bit for the country.