Survey shows 60 years of saving energy - but more could still be done

13 July 2012

Posted by John King

A new survey has shown the different ways in which Britons have tried to save energy and cut down on their spending over the past 60 years.

Age UK Enterprises examined energy usage in the home in the 1950s and today, discovering that 88 per cent of people took measures to conserve heat back then.

Popular methods included switching off lights (75 per cent) and using draught excluders (72 per cent).

Today, 86 per cent of homeowners still turn lights off when leaving a room, while 83 per cent ensure they do not leave appliances like TVs on.

However, modern Britons have an array of technological advancements to help them be more energy efficient than their 1950s counterparts, including double glazing, better insulation and low-consumption appliances.

Despite this, 42 per cent of consumers still do not monitor their energy consumption, which could lead them to save even more money on home heating oil and other fuels.

It follows a recent Chartered Insurance Institute survey which found that 26 per cent of Britons claim to turn their heating down to save energy but actually do not.

Age UK Enterprises spokesperson Gordon Morris said: "It's great to see that nearly everyone is trying to conserve resources."

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