Energy Saving Week is a national campaign, backed by the UK government, to raise awareness of the damaging effects wasting energy has on our climate. Starting today, 22 October, the week is also about helping all of us take action that can make our environment better, our homes warmer and ourselves better off.

Now in its 11th year, the overall campaign theme is ‘Commit to save your 20%’, which the Energy Saving Trust is encouraging people to do by signing up to at: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/commit/

Frances Galvanoni, ‘the Energy Doctor’ at the Energy Saving Trust, said: “Consumers are increasingly hungry for help on ways to reduce their output, and Energy Saving Week provides useful advice for everyone. Commit now to help fight climate change. Fitting energy saving lighting is an easy way to contribute to reducing your overall energy use at home.”

According to the Energy Saving Trust, if every household in the UK installed five energy saving light bulbs, electricity equivalent to the output of a typical power station would be saved each year. The UK is planning to phase out incandescent lamps completely from domestic use by 2011 and many consumers are already making the switch to energy saving units.

Energy Saving lighting products use less energy and therefore cost less to run. Customers will typically save 75 per cent of the electricity they would consume with old fashioned GLS bulbs – this means each energy saving recommended lamp can reduce household lighting costs by around £60 over the lifetime of the lamp, according to the Energy Saving Trust. They also last up to 10 times longer than ordinary lamps.

Leading lighting manufacturer, Micromark, is supporting Energy Saving Week by offering discounts across its comprehensive range of Energy Saving Recommended indoor and outdoor light fittings. Having undergone stringent testing procedures, the Micromark products are available now from local retailers.

Dipti Gadhia, product manager at Micromark says: “Micromark is at the forefront of the Energy Saving lighting market, with over 50 design-led products in the range from pendants to wall lights and outdoor fittings. In addition we are working hard to develop more ES fittings, particularly for the outdoor sector.”