Energy monitors to cut carbon in Otley

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Jun 2009

A pioneering green scheme is to be launched in Otley to get local people to reduce their energy bills and cut global warming.

Otley Town Council has procured ten energy monitors that will be available for members of the public to loan for a week at a time. People will be able to borrow the monitors from Otley library over a six week period, starting from early June.

The monitors tell the householder how much electricity they are using at any given time. This makes it easier for people to know when and how they are wasting energy, helping them spend less on fuel and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

If the scheme is successful, local ward councillors have pledged to look into funding its continuation through use of their MICE (Members Improvement in the Community and Environment) money.

Cllr Colin Campbell (Lib Dem, Otley and Yeadon), Leeds City Council's Lead Member for climate change said:

"Energy monitors are a simple and easy way for households to check their energy use. We hope to use them to allow everybody to both save energy and cut their carbon footprint.

"If this scheme proves to be as successful as I hope it is, I'd be delighted to look into funding an extension of it through our ward budget."