Warwickshire News Mine

The store is organising a number of displays, promotions and a competition to try and encourage both its staff and customers to back the Switch it Off message.

Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council, Worcestershire County Council, and the Warwickshire Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, are leading the way with many other partners this year to drive home ‘Switch it Off’.

If everyone in Warwickshire, Coventry and Worcestershire stopped leaving appliances on stand by it would prevent 86,322 tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere through wasted electricity and save more than £20m (enough to pay the annual electricity bill for 71,953 homes).

Carbon dioxide is the main climate change causing gas. In the UK, the energy we use to heat and power our homes accounts for 27 per cent of our total carbon dioxide emissions and this continues to rise.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “I’m delighted to see the Heart of England Co-op backing this year’s Switch it Off campaign, hopefully its staff and customers will take the message on board.

“It really doesn’t take a lot to think about saving energy. You are not only saving the planet from the comfort of your own home, but also cutting your own energy bill by up to 25 per cent.

”It’s interesting to see how people behave towards energy. Prices have gone up massively in recent years, yet the vast majority of people remain unaware of what they are spending on their energy. People will drive out of their way to get a penny off a litre of petrol, yet ask them what a kilowatt hour of electricity costs them and they won’t have a clue.”

For more information on taking steps to `Switch it off’ visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/switchitoff or call the energy advice hotline on 0800 512012.

Link to WCC