Consumers look to green measures to reduce bills from energy suppliers - 03/03/2010

Soaring prices from energy suppliers are forcing consumers to be more efficient, a new poll suggests.

A survey conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Energenie revealed that 73 per cent of families believe they are doing enough to be environmentally-friendly, while 72 per cent said they have energy efficient devices in their homes.

Over three-quarters (81 per cent) of respondents said they make use of energy saving light bulbs but many eschewed other simple ways of maintaining cheap energy use such as cavity insulation and using efficient washing machines and dishwashers.

Around half of those questioned said they do not switch off electrical appliances at the mains, with a fifth of men citing laziness as a main reason.

Alan J Tadd, managing director of Energenie, said: "Using energy saving light bulbs is a great start, but it is a very passive way of reducing household energy consumption.

"There are so many ways of lowering household carbon emissions - everything from loft insulation to ensuring electrical appliances aren't left on standby."

Writing in the Guardian, Expert Chris Goodall recently advised consumers to replace old appliances for newer, energy efficient alternatives.

If you want to find out more about switching energy suppliers and how you could save up to £378 in minutes, click here.