October is here, you’ve dug out your opaque tights and dusted off those ankle boots, but have you turned on your heating?
We all know it’s economically and environmentally beneficial to wear two jumpers at home rather than whacking up the thermostat, but that doesn’t stop us debating – sometimes arguing – about the heating with housemates and partners until we’re blue in the face.
It remains a subject of autumn contention – because let’s face it, once you’ve put the heating on once, there’s no going back until March.
We asked readers on Twitter when it’s socially acceptable to put the heating on and it’s clear people fall into two distinct camps.
There’s the people who’ve already caved, believing coldness has no curfew.
And there’s the people who are desperately trying to hold out whacking it on for good, whether that’s because of the planet, the cost or sheer pride.
Unsurprisingly, the issue is causing debates in households up and down the country.
About 85 per cent of the UK’s heating comes from natural gas, according to a report by the Financial Times, so jokes aside, our cosy homes are depleting the Earth’s fossil fuels.
Environmental group Greenpeace UK do not say there is a set date people should hold out to before turning on their heating, but do point out this can be a “serious dilemma” for households on low incomes, especially pensioners who are more vulnerable to the cold.
“The main problem is that our draughty homes are not just wasting our money in higher energy bills, they’re also causing far more climate-warming emissions than they should. Instead of just paying to warm our living rooms, we’re shelling out to warm the whole planet,” head of climate and energy, Kate Blagojevic, told HuffPost UK.
“Better quality and insulated homes would be a triple win: lowers bills, less carbon emissions and less dependence on imported gas too. Ministers should start an ambitious nationwide programme to give Britain the high-quality, affordable, climate-proofed homes it needs.”