ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners are calling on the government to make oil and gas giants pay for rising energy prices rather than the public.
And to hammer home their message, they organised an action day to get people to write down how much their energy bills have already increased by, with the average being 40%.
And the campaigners, from Greenpeace Berkshire, said that of the 49 people they canvassed, everyone unanimously agreed energy bills had become unaffordable.
Linda, from Reading, was one of the people who visited their stall. She said: “We have to watch the pennies now. Invest in renewables, not fossil fuels – good for the planet and good for our pockets.”
And full-time mum Betty, said: “I have two children at school. This extra cost on energy bills has not been reflected in child benefit income.”
The messages will join others collected across the country and sent to the government, as part of a call to implement a 70% tax rate on energy companies. This would help six million households experiencing fuel poverty, and leave £5 billion to invest in a national roll-out of energy efficiency measures such as heat pumps and insulation.
Greenpeace Berkshire volunteer Jane Owen said: “We’re very concerned that we are going to be stuck in a cycle of dependency on oil and gas. People want the government to invest in renewable energy and to stay on track to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.”
