Politicians Pull the Plug on excessive electricity use

Politicians from across the spectrum joined community group Exeter Community Energy (ECOE) on Sunday 12 October to encourage high street shops to pull the plug and reduce their energy use.

Rosie Denham (Labo ur), Diana Moore (Green) and Dom Morris (Conservative) took the challenge to go 24 hours without any electricity, and spent the afternoon visiting shops to ask them to unplug anything not being used.

Adrian Fulham (Lib Dem) was also taking the challenge.

Marks & Spencer, Lush, The Beer Cellar and The Vintage Shop were among the businesses that agreed to pull some plugs, helping to highlight the campaign and get people to think about their energy use.

ECOE campaign organiser Joe Smee said “We all take electricity for granted and the Pull the Plug challenge is a great way to make people think twice about where it comes from and how precious it is.”

ECOE is an innovative social enterprise that is setting up Exeter’s first community owned solar power project, which will soon provide locally produced green energy to community buildings and create a fund for energy-related community projects.

Joe Smee said: “As things stand almost all the energy we use comes from big energy companies and distant power stations. Pull the Plug is a good demonstration of the challenge – and the opportunity – involved in taking control of our energy. Our first solar power project is the first step towards Exeter taking the power back.”