Tips to cut your energy bill as EU turns down gas taps

Luxembourg on Monday launched a campaign to turn down the gas taps as the war in Ukraine drags on, urging people to keep down the blinds on hot summer days, opt for green programmes on their washing machines, and sign up for car-sharing schemes to go to work.

When Luxembourgers return from holidays in September, they will face a barrage of government information about how their everyday lives impact the environment, and steps they can take to use less energy.

And the burden will not be just on consumers, as the government is equally in conversation with ministries and employers' organisations for them to put plans in place how to reduce energy consumption.

The campaign follows last week's agreement among energy ministers of the EU to cut the bloc's usage of natural gas by 15%, a decision aimed at reducing  Europe's heavy dependence on the fuel delivered by Russia.

The war in Ukraine has sent energy prices soaring, adding to the already high cost of living across the global economy. Another goal for Europe to want to reduce its intake of Russian gas, is that Moscow uses the revenues to fund the war, in which thousands of civilians have already died.

The EU's goal of reducing gas usage by 15% is voluntary, and will continue until spring of next year.

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