In brief...: Workers fail to go green

Jul 4 2008

Most people fail to transfer basic energy-saving behaviours, such as switching off electrical devices when they are not in use, from the home to the office, according to a new report.

Asurvey of 1,200 adults by energy firm E.ON showed people were afraid of being ridiculed by colleagues if they were environmentally-friendly.

Most of those polled were too afraid to ask permission to "green" their workplace, even if they were keen on preserving energy in their own home.

Jim Macdonald, commercial director of E.ON, said: "Britain's businesses account for 35 per cent of the UK's carbon emissions and these are still rising. The resultant carbon footprint from a typical small business is equivalent to a round-trip long-haul flight."