Climate activists want the Welsh Government to pass a proposal urging supermarkets to put doors on all their fridges and freezers
A petition to make supermarkets and retailers add doors to all their fridges and freezers is currently being considered by the Welsh Assembly.
If the proposal is approved, Wales will reduce its national carbon footprint and electricity consumption, paving the way for a greener Wales.
In a statement taken from the Welsh Assembly’s online petition portal, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) stated, “If retailers put doors on fridges, they would cut their energy use by a massive 33% and 1% of the UK energy bill would be cut if the top 5 supermarkets put doors on fridges.”
The petition received 91 signatures and is “wholeheartedly” supported by Friends of the Earth Cymru (FOEC).
Bleddyn Lake, a spokesperson for FOEC, said, “We were astounded to learn that every 2.5 metre fridge without a door uses the same amount of electricity as two average houses per year!”
Considering that most of this electricity comes from fossil fuels, it is a shameful waste of energy, he added.
Putting doors on fridges is a no brainer if we are serious about averting climate breakdown, he continued, we have to act quickly and decisively.
Following The Environment (Wales) Act in 2016, the Welsh Government is under pressure to deliver on plans to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050.
The petitioner said putting doors on all fridges and freezers in supermarkets and retailers will contribute significantly in hitting this target.
Retailers will benefit from lower energy bills, a more climate conscious image and happier customers as a result, say a coalition of European NGOs (non-governmental organisations) in a statement taken from the online petition.
They call it a “win-win for everyone, especially for the environment. Because of climate change, we simply can’t afford to be so careless with energy any longer.”