Energy firm recruits children as 'climate cops'

Last week's Sunday Times carried a large advertisement for the German-owned
energy company npower, inviting children to "save the planet this summer" by
becoming "climate cops". A picture showed a sleeping dad, with a notice on his
head warning in a childish scrawl that he had been found guilty of "climate
crime" by "falling asleep with the tv still on".

For more "interactive games and fun downloads", readers were invited to contact
npower's Climate Cops website. This explains in comic book format how children
can spy on their parents, relatives and neighbours to catch them out in seven
"climate crimes", such as leaving the TV on standby, putting hot food in a
fridge or freezer (as is recommended by hygiene experts) or failing to use
low-energy light bulbs.

Children could record these offences in a "climate crime case file", while
teachers are offered a full "learning resource" pack for use in schools,
including a PowerPoint presentation and posters for classroom walls.

When my colleague Richard North asked the Advertising Standards Authority how
they squared this with their rules prohibiting "marketing communications" which
"undermine parental authority", they replied (as he records on his EU Referendum
blog) that they had "considered you (sic) objections but do not feel it have
(sic) breached our Codes on the basis you suggest".

My own advice to children tempted to become "climate cops" is that they might
begin by looking at npower's own record as operators of 13 fossil fuel power
stations.

Its coal-fired Aberthaw power station in Wales, for instance, emits more CO2 in
two months than is notionally saved in a year by all the 2,000 wind turbines now
disfiguring Britain's countryside. If merely going to sleep in front of the TV
is a "climate crime", why haven't the directors of npower put themselves behind
bars long ago?

http://www.telegrap h.co.uk/earth/ earthnews/ 6076996/Public- told-to-snoop- on-lightbulb- law-breakers. html

Public told to snoop on lightbulb law breakers
The public have been asked to 'snoop' on shopkeepers who continue to
sell traditional light bulbs banned by Europe.
Published: 7:00AM BST 24 Aug 2009

Public told to snoop on lightbulb law breakers
The public have been told to report shopkeepers who continue to sell
traditional light bulbs Photo: GETTY

From September 1, it will be illegal to import conventional pearl or
frosted bulbs of any shape or wattage. Traditional incandescent bulbs
of 100 watts will also be banned under European law aimed at reducing
energy bills and carbon dioxide emissions.

They will be replaced by energy saving lights, which usually use
flourescent tubes, but it is thought some consumers will still prefer
their 'traditional' bulbs, particularly for reading lamps.

There is evidence of people hoarding the old fashioned bulbs around
Europe and enforcement agencies are ready to crack down on
unscrupulous businessmen who continue to import the "illegal bulbs"
from factories in China.

In Britain, trading standards officers will be carrying out
inspections and are asking members of the public to report any shop
continuing to stock the illegal bulbs.

Any individual found importing the bulbs into the EU will face a
£5,000 fine and it could be an unlimited amount for big companies.

The Department for the Environment insisted it was necessary to use
the law to ensure people buy energy efficient bulbs that will save
them around £37 per annum on energy bills and save the UK one million
tonnes of carbon every year.

But opposition politicians said people remain concerned about the
health effects and quality of light of energy saving bulbs and should
not be made to snoop on each other.

Although most large retailers in the UK began to phase out 100W bulbs
at the beginning of this year, independent retailers continue to sell
the traditional models.

A Defra spokesman said: ''The public could tip off trading standards
if they know someone to be illegally importing 100W or frosted light
bulbs, just as they would if they found dangerous toys or appliances.

"Trading Standards could then follow the normal procedure to test the
bulbs, find proof of date of purchase and could then challenge the
importer through the courts. The enforcement of this new legislation
is important to maintain fairness to honest retailers and importers
and to protect consumers."

Nick Herbert, the Tory environment spokesman, said it was a waste of
taxpayers' money.

"People will be incandescent about such a waste of public money. At a
time of economic gloom this proposal will create more heat than
light."

Sales of incandescent light bulbs have risen by 34 per cent
year-on-year in Germany in the first six months of 2009, consumer
research group GfK found

Syed Kamall, a Tory MEP, said he continues to receive letters and
emails from people who want to stick with incandescent light bulbs.

He said the Government should be meeting the concerns of those who do
not like the bulbs rather than punishing people who continue to use
them.

"It is a completely over the top reaction. The problem is not people
stocking up or importing incandescent light bulbs, the issue is that
there continue to be concerns about the health effects of energy
saving light bulbs," he said.

Nigel Farrage, the leader of UKIP, said the public should not be
encouraged to snoop.

"Under this Government we begin to resemble East Germany in the 1980s
where we snoop and report on local businesses," he said. "No doubt the
next move will be to snoop on your parents if they continue to use old
fashioned light bulbs."

The low energy lights use a fifth of the energy of incandescent
lights, cost around £3 each but should last around seven years.