West Sussex Liberal Democrats call on County Council to cut energy use, not just for Earth Hour, but every weekend

This Saturday, (27th March) WWF (previously known as World Wildlife Fund) is asking individuals, businesses and communities to switch off their lights for Earth Hour - from 8.30 - 9.30 pm.

In Earth Hour 2009, landmarks across the globe were plunged into darkness, reducing carbon emissions and sending a message to world leaders to take action on climate change. This year West Sussex County Council has signed up.

At Friday's County Council meeting, Liberal Democrat Group Leader Morwen Millson will challenge the Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy to start a year-round drive to get staff to turn off non essential equipment as part of the staff induction programme.

The County Council is asking staff to make sure they turn off unnecessary electrical equipment including lights, PCs and monitors, printers, photocopiers, chargers, water heaters and coolers before leaving their offices on Friday as part of its Earth Hour initiative.

Morwen Millson says,

"Previous pleas to turn off equipment, for example over Christmas, have resulted in reduced energy consumption, so I am sure that this initiative will reduce energy use.

"Such events are clearly welcome in terms of energy and cost savings, but the Liberal Democrats believe it is time for an all year-round drive to get staff to turn off non essential equipment. This could be part of the staff induction programme.

"We also want the Cabinet Member to reconsider using automated software to turn off non-essential equipment, since advances are constantly being made in this field. For some reason, the West Sussex Conservative Cabinet seems reluctant to do this, arguing that most equipment is already turned off, but giving no convincing argument for failing to deal with the rest.

"It took a Liberal Democrat initiative to get signs placed in all meeting rooms requesting users to turn off lights when they leave, so opposition members may be forgiven for thinking that the Conservative administration is not totally committed to saving money on energy use."

Staffordshire County Council saved over £40,000 a year by using automated software to turn off equipment. If West Sussex does not follow suit, Morwen has requested that the council's cleaners should be instructed to turn off monitors, printers and photocopiers as well as lights when cleaning is completed.

We can all follow there example and turn off unnecessary power consumption and save money as well rather than keep appliances on stand by.

Earth Hour 2010 aims to bring together over one billion people to switch off lights for one symbolic hour on 27th March.

For more information: http://www.wwf.org.uk