RSSUK's gadget obsession hitting 2020 energy saving target
3 October 2011, source edie newsroom
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In a report out today (October 3) the trust says the country's 'love affair' with domestic electrical gadgets will see us miss carbon emissions cuts of up to 7m tonnes.
The report The Elephant in the Living Room: how our appliances and gadgets are trampling the green dream says almost a third (29%) of the UK's CO2 emissions come from the home.
The report also claims UK households now own three and half times more gadgets than they did 20 years ago, increasing the energy use of most homes.
According to the report the worst offenders are large plasma TVs, large fridge freezer with ice-maker and the energy sucking tumble dryer.
The report reveals if every household in the UK replaced just their old fridge freezer, washing machine and dishwasher with the most efficient models, they could collectively save £585m on their fuel bills, and prevent two million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere - enough to fill Wembley Stadium 257 times.
In the report the Energy Savings Trust urges people to think about their gadget use and to realise that 'it is behaviour on the home front' that could make a difference in the UK hitting its overall national carbon emissions reduction targets.
Report author Dr Paula Owen said: "Our love affair with domestic gadgets and gizmos has to change, just because you have bought an efficient appliance, doesn't mean you can use it carelessly and never switch it off.
"We need to ask ourselves is that ice-maker in the fridge a necessity? Do I need to leave those chargers on the whole time? Do I need a 50+ inch TV screen?
"There's more to this issue than using energy efficient light bulbs, not only can people cut their carbon footprint, but they can also bring down their electricity bills considerably."
Luke Walsh
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Comments | By Alex Read Electrical devices DO NOT produce CO2 emissions!!! Power stations create the emissions. There is nothing that a consumer can or should do other than wait for the government to get off their lazy backsides and decommission all the fossil fuelled power stations. Me or anyone else switching off our TV's won't do jack. And personally, when someone tells me that i must change the way i am. That's exactly what i do, in the opposite direction. Bring on the 100 inch Plasma... What do they [Energy Saving Trust] think, that we like paying the extortionate prices for our electric, and are keeping all our appliances on for the fun of it, or just out of spite, malice or ignorance..?? |
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