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Cutting down energy use- what is happening around you?

(122 Posts)
Fleurpepper Wed 07-Dec-22 12:34:53

What are you personally doing to cut down on energy use?

But more importantly, what is your Council and Government, Business, etc, doing to cut down and show an example to all?

GrannyGravy13 Wed 07-Dec-22 20:24:33

London Christmas lights are on from 3pm until 11pm this year as opposed to 24/7 in previous years according to Google.

Norah Wed 07-Dec-22 20:23:53

Joseanne

Just an observation in another European country, no sign of switching off the many many lights in Vienna last week.

We spent a night in France. I didn't see any economising on the festive Bacarat Chandaliers. Quite lovely.

Fleurpepper Wed 07-Dec-22 20:15:00

Joseanne

Just an observation in another European country, no sign of switching off the many many lights in Vienna last week.

Not surprised as they rely hugely on tourism brought partly by the Christmas lights. Very different to rural Austria.

Joseanne Wed 07-Dec-22 20:00:50

Just an observation in another European country, no sign of switching off the many many lights in Vienna last week.

Whitewavemark2 Wed 07-Dec-22 19:52:58

I hope I made clear that it is the usage level and not the cost😮 - that has gone up to ridiculous levels.

Fleurpepper Wed 07-Dec-22 19:52:19

Oreo

Grammaretto

I miss my warm man Oreo.sad
The café I was in today had closed the front door but I did wonder if people knew it was open. It has no sign

flowers
Why are men warmer than women? It’s a mystery.

Thyroïd issues ? (lol, but true in many cases).

Whitewavemark2 Wed 07-Dec-22 19:48:03

I’ve just been looking at my fuel usage and comparing it to the same period last year.

My electricity usage is down by almost 50%. We are no longer using the heater in the conservatory, which means we only use it now on sunny days. Also we are not using an electric fire in one of our sitting rooms as it is a colder room because it faces north, so we are managing with just the radiator. We are largely using our snug which faces south and is much warmer, particularly if the sun is shining.

My gas usage just down a tiny bit. That usage will not change - well only if the winter stays very cold, because DH has a heart condition and we keep the temperature at 21c, except at night when the heating is off and it usually drops then to about 18c.

Oreo Wed 07-Dec-22 19:28:06

Grammaretto

I miss my warm man Oreo.sad
The café I was in today had closed the front door but I did wonder if people knew it was open. It has no sign

flowers
Why are men warmer than women? It’s a mystery.

Whitewavemark2 Wed 07-Dec-22 19:21:12

Whitewavemark2

This is a laissez faire government so no nannying from them!

Nannying was the word the government used when saying they wouldn’t give advise.

Grammaretto Wed 07-Dec-22 19:20:43

I miss my warm man Oreo.sad
The café I was in today had closed the front door but I did wonder if people knew it was open. It has no sign

Oreo Wed 07-Dec-22 19:15:15

Am going into town tomorrow must take a look at the doors of shops, hope they have decided to close them.

Oreo Wed 07-Dec-22 19:13:01

It was the nurse post that was in the wrong thread dliz4 not this one.
Btw tho, saving energy where we can is a good thing, how would revolting against the idea help?

Casdon Wed 07-Dec-22 19:12:39

Fleurpepper

Nannying is not the world I would use. Example, from the top.

It is hard for any individual shop, for instance, to decide to close doors to conserve energy, when the other shops around have doors opened. Same for pubs, etc. So a direction from the top, clearly setting out the reasons and figures about amount of energy saved, etc- is so much better.

I think it can be done collectively by the shops too - in my town the doors to shops are now all shut, nobody has told them to do it, they have decided themselves. I don’t think they can afford to waste heat, their profits are too low.

dlizi4 Wed 07-Dec-22 19:08:20

Whitewavemark2

Some truth in this!

“The French are calling the British navet congelé (Frozen Turnip)

Because they are frozen in their houses and have the brains of turnips for not revolting.”

This!
And it does belong on this thread, clearly

Fleurpepper Wed 07-Dec-22 19:07:44

Nannying is not the world I would use. Example, from the top.

It is hard for any individual shop, for instance, to decide to close doors to conserve energy, when the other shops around have doors opened. Same for pubs, etc. So a direction from the top, clearly setting out the reasons and figures about amount of energy saved, etc- is so much better.

Whitewavemark2 Wed 07-Dec-22 19:02:55

This is a laissez faire government so no nannying from them!

Oreo Wed 07-Dec-22 19:01:20

A nice alternative Grammaretto would be climbing into bed with a hot man, but here, anyway, that ain’t gonna happen.😂

grannyrebel7 Wed 07-Dec-22 19:00:55

We didn't have any heating on throughout October and November so we've got it on now from 5pm until we go to bed. So lovely to have it again. Don't think our council is doing anything to conserve energy.

Grammaretto Wed 07-Dec-22 19:00:26

Warmer already

Oreo Wed 07-Dec-22 18:59:51

I agree Fleurpepper the message needs to be drummed home.
Shops here have been doing this open door thing for years and years here.Tbh I don’t see a closed door of a shop as unwelcome and go into any shop regardless.It’s a criminal waste to have the doors open.

Grammaretto Wed 07-Dec-22 18:58:24

It really is cold here in Scotland. I've just lit the fire. The alternative would be climbing into bed with an extra duvet.

Fleurpepper Wed 07-Dec-22 18:54:14

It seems people are more likely to come in, if the doors are opened. Shops have been suffering, so I can understand why they think they should have doors opened, to encourage people to visit. But the Councils, in fact, the Governement, right from the top- should explain on TV and Press why it is such a massive waste, and allow shops to post on door or easel outside, to ask people to come in, and the reasons why they have stopped this recent habit.

Same for pubs and restaurant with covered opren areas- totally forbidden now in France, for instance.

Oreo Wed 07-Dec-22 18:46:53

Every Winter I think shops are crazy having their doors wide open, when did this nonsense first start?

Casdon Wed 07-Dec-22 18:44:57

Sticking to the subject then - my local council has replaced the street lights with led ones, and we also now have led Christmas street lights too, which saves a lot of electricity (and look nicer).

Oreo Wed 07-Dec-22 18:44:01

Well done you Fleurpepper for telling them to switch their lights off, and it worked as they did do that the next night!