Environmental analysis news: Defra launches campaign on energy efficiency

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a new advertising campaign to encourage businesses across the UK to become more environmentally friendly.

Rather than focusing on the environmental benefits, it will concentrate on spreading the message about how much money businesses can save annually by taking simple measures to improve their energy efficiency.

Rob Holdway, presenter of Channel 4 programme Dumped, voiced his support for the initiative.

"The main thing of course is raising awareness amongst small businesses of the environmental impact and the cost of not thinking about the environment - the water, the energy and the waste that you generate has a direct cost," he explained.

Figures released by Defra to coincide with the launch of its campaign estimate that UK businesses could collectively save up to £6.4 billion annually with little or no outlay to the business by simply becoming more resource efficient.

A report issued by the Waste & Resources Action Programme earlier this year predicted that improving the use of natural resources could contribute up to ten per cent towards the targeted reduction in emissions by 2020.

Posted by Claire Manning