Anderson Jones is one of the talented Energy Champions delivering our Energy Outreach Project. He has had a long history of community and development work and has lived in Exeter for two decades, working with many groups such as Exeter Community Initiatives, Exeter CVS and St Sidwell’s Centre.
Anderson speaks more about his duties as an Energy Champion and how he saves on energy bills at home.
What do you do for the Energy Outreach Project as an Energy Champion?
"I go out into the community across the county to deliver energy efficiency workshops either to groups or individuals and help them try to reduce their energy bills."
How do you cut down on energy usage in your home?
"I turn off all my sockets and lights, my microwave and air fryer is only turned on when I’m using it, and I don’t watch TV anymore. I’ve generally got my energy efficiency head on at home, so if it doesn’t need to be used, it’s not used.
"I’ve also taken Martin’s advice to use the eco option on my white appliances, and the reason for why is that it takes a more steady way to heat the element rather than if you put it on a higher one; it just tries to heat it as quickly as possible so it uses more energy."
What common issues have you noticed from people you’ve spoken to at these energy events?
"Living in an older building which isn’t really heat efficient and the cost to make it heat efficient is almost out of reach.
"A lot of people are actually aware of the energy efficiency advice that’s being sent out over the last couple of years, so that’s good. Let’s hope that they’re actually taking that on board; as my mother would say, actions speak louder than words."
What can individuals do if they want to cut down on energy costs?
"Think about where you can reduce your energy. Where are you losing heat and what can you do to rectify that? There are a lot of products on the market with good temporary measures that you can do; not everything is expensive.
"We’re giving out some great ideas on energy saving, so perhaps you should book one of our talks. We'll come and talk to you and provide you all the information that you require. And I'm sure that the community that you represent would benefit from having us deliver one of our energy efficiency workshops."
If you would like to book a community presentation or a 1-2-1 with Anderson, please contact him via email at anderson.jones@devoncommunities.org.uk or call 01392 248919.
