Will Mellor wants his kids to "feel independent" when it comes to learning about money and bills.
Smart Energy GB has teamed up with actor Will Mellor and his children Jayden (20) and Renee (16) to show households how switching to a smart meter can help families keep track of their energy usage.
The 48-year-old actor - who has Jayden, 20, and 16-year-old Renee with his wife Michelle McSween - has teamed up with Smart Energy GB so he can "better understand" how certain little swaps in his life can preserve energy use so has had a smart meter installed so they can learn about efficiency.
He said: "Like most families, we find our monthly bills can be quite high and as the kids get older, this isn’t likely to change anytime soon. By working with Smart Energy GB, we wanted to better understand where we could make small changes to our routine to help reduce our energy usage.
“The kids love to feel independent and we try to provide them with tools that can make their life easier moving forward. Having a smart meter is just one example of this. After having one installed, we all have a better understanding of our energy usage, household bills and where we can be more energy efficient. It has made a big change overall.”
A survey from the energy company found that 31% of teenagers say they are now having shorter showers to save energy, while almost a fifth (18%) always use the washing machine at a lower temperature.
What's more, nearly a quarter (24%) of teenagers even encourage their parents to actively keep a watch on their smart meter’s in home display, and 39% nudge them to not leave appliances on for longer than necessary.
Victoria Bacon, Director at Smart Energy GB comments “Homes can feel a little busier over summer with children returning home from university and schools and colleges closing, which can be a worry for the people paying the bills. But our research shows younger generations are really keen to waste less energy and embrace more energy efficient habits in the home, and these ‘greenagers’ are actually encouraging the whole family to do the same. Small, actionable changes can add up to making a real difference. Paired with getting a smart meter, which offers a whole range of benefits – including access to more flexible energy tariffs – families can feel more in control of their energy use and household bills, not only during summer but all-year round.”
For further information search ‘Get a smart meter’ or visit https://www.smartenergygb.org/
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