A UK charity has welcomed moves to make running washing machines and tumble dryers cheaper.
Plans to cut energy bills by one provider are "a step in the right direction" for appliance users, it has been advised.
Following an announcement by Scottish and Southern Energy that its customers would see price changes from March 2009, National Energy Action (NEA) has welcomed the move.
The group, which operates on behalf of UK homeowners suffering from fuel poverty, said
washing machine and dishwasher users could expect typical reductions of around 66 per year.
Maria Wardrobe, communications director at NEA, said: "We hope this is an indication of serious reductions by suppliers over the coming months," adding this would have "a significant impact" on low-income households.
She concluded, however, that consumers should not forget the many other ways in which they can reduce energy use around the home.
For some, switching to a more energy-efficient laundry appliance - such as the A+ rated Whirlpool AWO/D4605 washing machine - could be a good place to start.
The symptoms of environmental damage are easily visible in the modern world. Daily the news reports show the melting ice in the Antarctic and the effect that global warming is having on the weather. Society is now looking to us to make small changes to the way in which we live our lives that can, in turn, make a real difference to the environment.
Reducing your Carbon footprint can be easy and it doesnt have to cost you a penny. Making small daily changes to the way we lead our lives can save energy and help to reduce our energy bills. Start by turning off the computer and any other appliances when you are not using them, dont leave them on standby either because this will continue to waste energy. Switch off the lights when you are not in a room, think about it, why does the room have to be lit when you are not using it? In addition to this, make sure that you walls are properly insulated to stop all your heat escaping and costing you a fortune in energy bills.
Why not save even more money and change your inefficient kitchen appliances for efficient models? Just by changing you washing machine to an energy efficient model you could save you a third on your energy bills (Energy Saving Trust 2009), it will also save you 45 kilograms of CO2 which is good news for the environment. You dont have to stop there you can switch all of your appliances and save even more money!
If we all made just small changes to reduce our Carbon emissions then the environment would definitely reap the benefits! Whats stopping you doing your bit for the environment?
