Rising use of gadgets prompts energy labelling call

LONDON - Fear of the catastrophic consequences of global warming is finally prompting Britons to start changing their lifestyles, a survey said on Monday.

It is not before time, said the Energy Saving Trust's report "The Rise of the Machines" which predicts that energy used by consumer electronics will double in the next four years.

What people really want to know is the environmental properties of the array of gadgets they are buying so they can make the most appropriate decisions, said the EST, an independent, non-profit organisation.

"As the consumer electronics market continues to grow, further development of energy efficient products will be vital to help in the fight against climate change," chief executive Philip Sellwood said, calling for clear labelling.

Increasing wealth and the reducing price of gadgets means British households now have an average of 2.4 televisions as well as a clutter of personal stereos, DVD recorders and other power-hungry devices.

The report said large plasma television screens consumed up to four times as much power as normal cathode ray tubes.

But with warnings ringing in their ears from scientists that gases from burning fossil fuels for power and transport will warm the planet, causing floods, droughts and storms, consumers were starting to sit up and take notice, the EST said.

It said just over half the people surveyed said they were willing to pay a premium for products that benefited the environment, ahead of designer labels and even organic products.

It found that more than 80 per cent of people said they tried saving energy on a day-to-day basis - with opting for public instead of personal transport one of the most popular choices.

The report comes as consumers reel from steep rises in gas, petrol and electricity prices and with the government due to set out this month the shape of the country's energy supply network for at least the next two generations.

Environmentalists want the Energy Review to focus on renewables such as wind and waves and far greater energy efficiency from generation to consumption.

But UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has made it clear that while he supports renewables, he is also strongly in favour of big, centralised power technologies like nuclear and so-called clean coal where the carbon from burning coal is captured and stored.

- REUTERS