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11 June 2007
Friends of the earth call for patio heater ban
UPFRONT, news, night online , COMMENTS
The Government should ban patio heaters, Friends of the Earth have claimed. The call comes in response to a new survey by British Gas, which warns of an upturn in the use of patio heaters following the introduction of the smoking ban in July. Friend of the Earth Director Tony Juniper has pointed to the "unnecessary environmental damage" of a potential increase in demand for fossil fuels and criticised the inefficiency of patio heater design, labelling them “planet wreckers”.
"Patio heaters waste energy and inflict unnecessary damage on the environment,” says Juniper. “This is why some garden centres are banning their sale. UK carbon dioxide emissions are rising, despite Government promises of substantial cuts. Ministers must do more to get their climate strategy back on track. It's time to ban the sale of these metal monstrosities. Getting tough on planet wrecking products will send a powerful message on the urgent need to save energy and cut pollution."
"The Government must also strengthen its plans for a new climate change law by ensuring that UK carbon dioxide emissions are cut by at least three per cent every year."
Estimates of the impact that patio heaters have on climate change vary. The Energy Savings Trust has estimated that a propane patio heater with a heat output of 12.5kW will produce around 34.8kg of CO2 before the fuel runs out (after approximately 13 hours).
To find out the carbon footprint of your patio heaters visit the Energy Savings Trust website.
Related Links:
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
From: NIGHT Online
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