UK TV campaign to ‘switch off’

The UK Government has launched a major energy efficiency advertising campaign to help individuals cut usage and reduce fuel bills.

In response to Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s announcement of a £1 billion assistance package for householders last week, there has been a massive surge in the number of calls to the Government’s ACT ON CO2 advice line.

According to figures from the Energy Savings Trust, who operate the advice line, calls from individuals wanting advice on energy efficiency have quadrupled since the announcement.

“I am encouraged that following last week’s announcement, people are looking to take action to cut their fuel bills and save energy at the same time. We now need to build on that enthusiasm,” says Environment Secretary Hilary Benn.

“We now need to do all we can to ensure they take up this help. This advert is part of that drive,” he adds.

The TV ad campaign is supported by a redesigned ACT ON CO2 website, which contains information about energy savings measures such as loft and cavity wall insulation and allows users to search for grants and support in their area.

For further information:
www.direct.gov.uk/actonco2

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How to haggle your way to a good deal

Here are some top tips to help you 'pay less for more.'

1. Do your research: Research the products and outlets: scour the internet, read magazines and newspapers. Try not to set your heart on a product – the likelihood is you will find a more appropriate one in your investigation and improve on the original price.

2. List your must-haves and nice-to-haves: For example, if buying a fridge freezer, your must-haves could include; size. Is energy-efficiency important to you? What about price? Perhaps your nice-to-haves are a chilled water dispenser and a larger fridge than freezer.

3. Have three outcomes in mind:
Ideal – a great deal for you.
Good – a decent reduction and/or added value.
Acceptable – if you don't achieve this then you will walk-away and go to your next choice.

4. Speak to a decision maker. Perhaps the owner, store manager or senior salesperson, but there is no point in negotiating with the cleaner!

5. Use your prepared information to your advantage: What can you say that will help motivate the salesperson to reducing the price? For example, can you use competitive information to get you a better deal? A salesperson is motivated by selling their product rather than seeing you go to another store. The price on the internet may be £400 and in the shop £450. Say you have seen the same machine on offer for £400, but would be happy to buy now if they sell it to you for £370 including delivery.

6. Don't give away 'buying signals': Don't say that your freezer had just packed up; this is ringing hundred pound notes in front of salespeoples eyes as they know your frozen chicken is about to thaw!

7. Practice makes perfect – opportunities occur all the time – from buying your MP3 player to arranging that luxury trip away with your partner. If you make negotiating a habit, it will become instinctive and above all, save you tons of money!

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From mobile phone and broadband companies to credit-card providers, firms are increasingly willing to haggle with customers looking to secure discounts and cut living costs.

With a recession looming and shoppers tightening their belts, stores are bowing to pressure to negotiate discounts.

Last week, the European Commission became the latest authority to declare Britain on the brink of a recession, and the retailer John Lewis reported plunging sales as the middle classes trade down to cheaper outlets such as Lidl and Aldi.

Sunday Times readers and users of online consumer forums boast they are saving hundreds of pounds a year on mobile phone and broadband contracts — simply by asking.

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Energy Efficiency is the only way to reduce Fuel Bills

As news emerges that more people than ever before will face increased financial pressures in the wake of rising fuel bills, the call for household energy efficiency measures have never been greater.

With an average energy bill set to climb to £1406 in 2009 (from £676 in 2005), the Government has given a commitment to help consumers improve household energy efficiency and permanently bring down energy bills.

As the nation waits for confirmation of where Government support will be given, many organisations are offering advice and guidance into where and how families can make changes that will cut their household energy costs.

Figures from the Energy Savings Trust suggest that if everyone undertook a number of simple measures including: Fitting energy saving light bulbs, double glazed windows, installing a condensing boiler, cavity wall and loft insulation and jackets for hot water tanks, UK households could reduce energy bills by over £270 a year and save over £1.9bn in fuel costs*.

“But making energy efficient changes, ahead of the winter months, could lead to savings of thousand’s of pound on future fuel bills - as well as adding to a house’s value. If people are considering making improvements we would urge them to look at the most energy efficient options.

Further estimations on savings to be gained from implementing energy efficiency measures in the home include*:
• Around a third of all the heat lost in an un-insulated home is lost through the walls. Fitting cavity wall insulation could save up to £120 on an annual fuel bill
• Insulating an uninsulated loft can save around £155 a year If everyone in the UK topped up their loft insulation to 270mm, around £560m would be saved each year. That's enough money to pay the annual fuel bills of around 530,000 families.
• An ultra efficient condensing boiler will be 20% more efficient and could save up to £130 on heating bills.
• Fitting an insulating jacket to the hot water cylinder could save around £30 per year
• Setting hot water cylinder thermostats to 60°C/140°F could save up to £10 over the year
• Using low energy light bulbs to save £10 on electricity bills each year.
• By installing draught proofing you could save around £25 a year on your heating bills

Financial help may be available if you're planning to make energy saving improvements to your home. Visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk for more information.

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Scientists claim they will grow tree-homes in a decade

Humans may one day be returning to the forests to live in ecological homes grown from tree roots.

Scientists from the U.S and Israel have proposed building the ingenious 'tree-homes' in cities and towns as a way of saving the planet.

Using the advanced techniques of aeroponics, the green-fingered researchers are confident the first prototype home could be ready in just ten years.

Aeroponics is the science of growing plants in an air or mist environment - without soil. Some plants, such as orchids that grow on trees in tropical rainforests, grow this way naturally.

Plantware, the organisation behind the technology, said it has already enjoyed success creating bus-shelters, park benches and traffic lights using its unique growing techniques.

Each home would be constructed from actual tree roots to any design specification and come equipped with a host of eco-friendly features such as solar panels and wind-harvesting fans.

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