Going green can save average family £1,000, says M&S

Families could save as much as £1,000 each year by 'going green' and doing five relatively simply things, according to a leading retailer.

By Harry Wallop, Consumer Affairs Editor Last Updated: 8:28PM GMT 14 Jan 2009

By switching off lights, washing clothes on 30C rather than 40C, using low-energy light bulbs, driving more efficiently and re-heating left-over food, people could save far more money than they first realised, Marks & Spencer said.
It calculates that an average family could save £1,010 this year if adopted its suggestions.
Sir Stuart Rose, the company's executive chairman, said: "There's a bit of an urban myth around that it costs you money to go green. Far from it."
He said he had adopted most of the measures himself, pointing out he had long been a "light obsessive" and went around turning off any superfluous lights. His dishwasher is only set off when it is completely full. "I try and use it as infrequently as possible."
M&S has calculated the savings to mark the second anniversary of its 'Plan A' strategy to improve its green credentials.
At the time it was criticised by some customers by concentrating on the environment at the expense of improving its clothes and shops. Its most controversial decision was to start charging 5p for plastic bags – a move that enraged some loyal customers.
Sir Stuart insisted, however, that Plan A helped it save money – which has been used to cut the price of its clothes.
For families to enjoy the full £1,010 saving they need to undertake five key measures: washing their clothes more efficiently, both on a lower temperature and on a higher spin cycle to cut down the length of the wash; reducing food waste; cutting back on energy usage by turning down their thermostat, signing up to paperless billing and replacing all light bulbs with low-energy ones; donating old clothes to Oxfam and in return receiving M&S shopping vouchers and, finally, driving more efficiently.