I would never look at the energy efficiency rating of a product.
He said that, in addition to scrapping fossil fuel subsidies and introducing a carbon tax, the World Bank's plan involved spending more on energy efficiency, measures to make agriculture greener and changes to help cities become less polluted and more liveable.
It also calls for 50% of the state's electricity supply to be derived from renewable resources by that date, and 50% better energy efficiency in buildings through retrofits and upgrades.
It also recommended the government look for further efficiency gains in health and education, and broaden the tax base, including by changing the way self-employed workers are taxed.
Our government might succeed in fooling us into believing that efficiency savings are not health cuts.
"Vorsprung durch Technik" became a motto for a nation that was putting the past behind it and restyling itself as a byword for quality, efficiency, progress and technology.
Getting more energy from renewables; increased energy efficiency; reducing the income gap; putting more reliable, durable products on the market (have you heard of planned obsolescence?); volunteering more for your community; preserving wetlands, forests, and farmland; shorter commutes and transport routes.
Then we looked at our big appliances – the fridge, the TV and the washing machine – and looked up the energy efficiency ratings of those.
We were pleasantly surprised by how well we've done when buying appliances, even though energy efficiency wasn't our main criterion – in fact, it wasn't even on the list.
Peter Bazalgette, the chair of Arts Council England, said the money could be saved from efficiency savings within the organisation rather than cuttting arts funding.
The Liberal Democrat spokesman enjoyed the best of the early exchanges, at one point using the Conservatives' scorn at Labour's magic "efficiency savings" to pour derision on the Tories' eerily similar strategy.
