Energy Conservation

My granddad taught me not to waste electricity. He'd grown up with candles for light and his family had watched the pennies. Leaving lights on was strictly forbidden.

We need more of that commonsense now. We must save more energy, to tackle global warming and protect our environment. Energy conservation in our homes should be a top priority.

We'd all save money, as we save the planet. Better insulation, more efficient heating systems and low energy light bulbs are hardly rocket science - they're sound economics.

There are schemes to help certain groups. If you live in Kingston and you're an owner-occupier, a council or private tenant, and you receive an income related benefit, like housing or council tax benefit, you may be eligible for a grant for the costs of loft insulation, boilers and the like. Call "Coldbusters" on 0800 358 6668 to see.

That's good, but we must do more.

Ministers boast of the "Winter Fuel Allowance" for pensioners, as if they've solved the problem. Yet there are still around 35,000 winter deaths each year.

I think every pensioner should have a new choice. For one year, instead of your Winter Fuel Allowance, you should be able to choose to have your home's heating and insulation upgraded. So every year's fuel bills are cut. That would be a start: helping pensioners, saving money and protecting our environment.