21 October 2008
Consumers who fail to take simple energy saving measures such as turning off lights in unused rooms and unplugging appliances at the wall may be in for a shock when their next gas and electricity bills arrive. According to Anglian Home Improvements, consumers waste large amounts of energy during the year by leaving televisions and other appliances on standby or by using their central heating unnecessarily. Spokesperson Melanie Russell said that with winter on the way and demand for heating and lighting expected to increase, this is something households will have to give close consideration to, especially following recent price increases by all of the major gas and electricity providers. "It's amazing over the course of a year how much energy - and therefore money - you can save just by taking time out to switch things off," she remarked. Figures from the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes show that UK households together waste around £6.8 billion on energy each year.