Families get set to go green

The project is a joint enterprise between Lewes District Council's sustainability team and the newly formed Lewes Climate Concern.

The volunteers, who come from all parts of Lewes, will monitor their energy consumption over the next year, using specially designed equipment loaned by the district council.

Not only will they be doing their bit to combat the effects of global warming, but they are likely to save pounds on their energy bills over the coming year.

The families came forward after attending the launch meeting of Lewes Climate Concern in March. Some have already installed energy saving devices and have signed up to recycling and composting.

The homes involved range from a two bedroom flat to a smallholding on the edge of town. The results of the monitoring will be fed regularly to the sustainability team at the council's recycling centre, and their progress will be followed by the Sussex Express over the year.

Sustainability officer Matthew Bird said: 'Not only will you end up saving money, but it will be fun too. 'Although,' he warned, 'reading your meter can become addictive.

'It can be fascinating too - just checking out how much more energy is used by an average computer compared with a lap-top, can be quite an eye-opener.'

Matthew showed the group how much energy was used in day-to-day living.

In Lewes, food uses up the greatest amount - mainly through transportation, he said.

Julia Clarke, one of the mums taking part, said her family had already installed monitors and she knew instantly when her children were playing music in their bedrooms.

All those at the launch agreed that even in small ways they could make a difference and could put pressure on big business and the politicians to think green.

Matthew reminded them of the town which had outlawed plastic bags recently, and Sue Atkins, who heads Lewes Climate Concern, felt shoppers should demonstrate against packaging, even if it meant holding up the queues at the checkouts, whilst they unpacked over-wrapped groceries.