Article: Boiling points: Britain is famously a nation of tea drinkers, and its obsession is fuelled by the modest kettle, which is found in 97 per cent of UK households. But our hot-drink habit isn't without consequences for the environment--this army of appliances consumes huge amounts of energy.(TRADE secrets)

One of the greatest eco-conundrums is whether or not the small actions we take make a worthwhile difference. If we switch off a light in Llandudno, is it going to make any difference to global efforts to save energy, when gas-guzzling industrial units in China never sleep?

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Clearly, it's vital that efforts are made to reduce emissions from industry, transport and the like, but we can't simply abrogate responsibility. As Western consumers, our carbon footprints are disproportionately large, so we all need to find ways to reduce them. And if we take action, hopefully government's will feel morally bound to act.

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