Survey finds British most wasteful

[david]

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Survey finds British most wasteful Monday October 23, 06:04 AM

LONDON (Reuters) - The UK ranks bottom in energy efficiency versus France, Germany, Italy and Spain, according to a count of average energy wasting actions per week by research group Energy Saving Trust, said on Monday.

Climate change looms ever bigger in the public eye as scientists detail ever stronger evidence of rising temperatures and its effects such as Arctic ice melt.

But it seems the

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general public are struggling to change everyday habits, the independent group found from a survey of 5,000 Europeans.
"The UK is at the bottom of the energy efficiency league compared to (the) other European countries," said Philip Sellwood, chief executive.

The wasteful habit the British found it hardest to kick was leaving appliances on standby -- which applied to 71 percent of respondents.

Other guilty secrets included boiling more water than needed, leaving electrical chargers plugged in, forgetting to turn lights off and using the car for short journeys.

According to the research, Britain was worst out of the five countries at an average 32 energy wasting actions per week, more than double most efficient Germany, at just 14.

[Urban Warrior]

This article does not surprise me, im still amazed at the amount of recycleable items i still see going into neighbours bins every day!~ It takes a few minutes to sort your tins, glass, clothing, paper and cardboard out each day~

So dont be lazy, for the sake of the planet!

[luisa]

and people wonder why the land fills are filling up

[celticwitch]

I think one of the problems is that local councils set up recycling but many don't seem to be very serious about it.
I live in a part of Sandwell and they are supposed to collect our recycling every week they give us a tiny box to house it in then maybe turn up once a month if we are lucky.
WW Lives in Walsall who do seem a bit more serious but where he lives if you leave the recycling box out they won't collect it the only way they will collect it is if you are there and take it to the lorry yourself, most people are at work when they turn up..

[luisa]

i live in cumbria now in the nationl park area you would think the council would be interested in our enviroment but we get a black bow that is collected fortnightly as is our wheely bins so in summer they smell.
we have a dog and rabbit so between them there's not much food waste. from what iv seen of our big collecting depos in supermarket car parks the are not emptied very often there has been a out cry not long ago ad 1 person way fined for fly tipping because she left a box full of bottles besied the full bin what was she ment to do take them home and put them in the rubbish