Going Green in the UK

Here is some data from the kitchens of the Brits that will make you say ummm. If everyone in the UK replaced their old washing machine with an energy saving model, British households could save almost one billion pounds collectively and over 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide could be saved.

According to the Energy Saving Trust switching to an energy-saving washing machine can save 45kg of carbon dioxide a year per household which equates to 86 extra washes. A staggering 90kg of carbon dioxide can be saved by switching to a low energy dishwasher, equivalent to 170 washes.

A new survey reveals that green gadgets are beating TVs and American-style refrigerators as the most sought after items in the kitchen. The results show a trend towards more environmentally-friendly kitchens emerging, with one in four Brits putting energy-saving washing machines, dishwashers and recycling bins at the top of their kitchen wish-list.

The survey of 2500 people across the UK carried out by kitchen retailer Sigma 3 found that the residents of Cardiff and Liverpool are most likely to opt for green kitchens, with over a third of them prioritizing energy efficient appliances. Belfast and Glasgow inhabitants are the least likely to opt for green gadgets.

The results also show that the greenest Brits are over 45 years old, with one in four voting eco-friendly appliances as the must-have gadgets of the year. Women are the most environmentally-conscious with almost a third opting for energy efficient washing machines and recycling bins compared to around one in five men.

The survey shows that conservation in the kitchen is a growing trend and perhaps surprisingly eco-friendly gadgets are more in demand than the popular ice-making fridges, pull-down televisions and integrated audio solutions. Experts claim that the credit crunch has contributed to this trend. At least something good has come from this darn nasty credit crisis.