Energy providers in the UK are urging us to consume less of their product.  "Take our £160 Energy Saving Challenge"  is the plea from Powergen. "Be inspired by energy saving ideas" beg British Gas. “Save money, save energy, save the environment” nag npower. But why? If we really did follow their advice and cut our electricity consumption by, say 20%, their profits would plummet. Can they really be asking us to reduce demand? Are they really like turkey’s voting for Christmas? I’ve been waiting to use that phrase until this seasonally appropriate time. It’s also been one month since we've started living with our smart meter  (see previous pulses) and I have become slightly excited about turning things off and seeing how the meter readings change. We've got 12 lights in the living room, none of which are energy efficient because they don't yet make them in the right size, but most of our other light bulbs are green. As having the lights off for 3 seconds saves the energy it takes to switch them on again lots of flicking the switches is a good idea. Meanwhile, as busy as we are in our attempts to save £100 a year on electricity bills, I can't help thinking that its a “poultry” saving (the price of a lovingly cared for, certified organic, Christmas turkey). Penny pinching aside, getting a smart meter is a good thing because it does make you think about how to save energy, which leads you to the www where you find all this information. I never knew how many organisations were concerned about my household bills until I started trying to save energy. There are many, many websites out there urging us to save, save, save on electricity consumption and listing the top ten tips for doing so.  I now know, thanks to Friends of the Earth, that electricity generation accounts for a whopping one-third of the emissions which cause global warming.  But am I bothered? Yes, enough to switch to a green supplier that leaves no carbon footprint. Signing up for green electricity is not a popular pastime in the UK. Of the 26 million homes supplied with electricty only 350,000 (thats just 1.3%) are on a green or renewable tarriff. Probably because it can cost as much as an extra £100 per year. The multinational companies who supply our energy are not actually expecting us to follow their advice and buy less electricity. Quite the opposite is happening. Consumption of electricity increases every year as we buy more and more electric-powered gadgets (new laptop for Christmas anyone?). 30% of the average household electricity bill is accounted for by consumer electronic and computer products. So energy suppliers see their profits increase year on year. Meanwhile, despite all the nagging from electricty suppliers, households continue to waste energy – about £7.5 billion worth every year in the UK according to the Energy Saving Trust. And overall energy use is increasing. Maybe green electricity can save the earth in a way that switching to low energy lightbulbs just can’t. Time to make a rational decision: buy a smart meter; turn a few things off; learn how to save energy; use the money saved to pay a price premium on green electricity.