15/10/2009 Leicestershire: This week saw the Big Switch Off campaign hit Leicestershire and Rutland.  The energy efficiency campaign encourages both businesses and non-businesses to switch off unnecessary electrical equipment and lighting to save energy and cut CO2 emissions.

“Everyone has a part to play in the Big Switch Off,” says local serial entrepreneur Michael Cheung of DVD Blu-ray Duplication.  “The Energy Saving Trust suggests that over £1 billion worth of energy is wasted by leaving appliances on standby and the Carbon Trust estimates that around 60% of energy, amounting to a staggering £180 million, is wasted by office equipment left on standby.  The Big Switch Off aims to address this issue and encourage local organisations and households to reduce their energy use and ultimately their costs.”

Reduction of cost is something that local hotel Yew Lodge Hotel in Kegworth has experienced firsthand.  The Hotel hosted the launch of the North West Leicestershire Big Switch Off campaign and Heather Thornton, Director of Sales and Marketing at Yew Lodge Hotel is an ardent supporter of the campaign and energy saving measures generally.  “We’ve directly experienced the benefits of energy saving.  Over time we replaced 6,000 light bulbs in the public areas of the hotel and turned all TVs off from standby in all 103 of the hotel’s bedrooms.  Like for like our electricity bill reduced by £27,000.  Additionally, when we extended the hotel we also chose to install solar powered boilers which have helped further with our heating bills.  For the Big Switch Off campaign we will be highlighting these measures to our guests, encouraging them to carbon offset their stay with us and we will also be holding a candle light supper on Friday night (16th October).  The supper is fun but we hope that it helps to get the message across loud and clear too.”

Large and small businesses can all make an important difference.  Adds Michael, “At the moment my business is an SME, but the very nature of my business means that I do use quite a lot of energy. The manufacturers of our kit are trying to do their bit by making the kit more and more energy efficient but over and above that end users like me also have to do our bit too.

This week we’ve been ensuring that kit which isn’t being used, is turned off and not left on standby.  When people leave their office they’ve been turning out the lights and we’ve also been promoting the campaign around the Business Box where we are based, raising awareness of the issues and taking about what we’re doing to help.  I’m a firm believer that no matter how big or small your business is you can do your bit – and it doesn’t have to be contained to the Big Switch Off week either.  You can make changes and improvements all year round.”

During the campaign, Central networks will be monitoring electricity consumption at 41 bulk supply points across Leicestershire and Rutland, making a like-for-like comparison from the previous week’s consumption.  This will provide a clear indication of how much energy is saved during the Big Switch Off.

The Big Switch Off campaign runs to Sunday 18th October 2009.  For further information please visit www.leics.gov.uk/bigswitchoff

[ENDS]

For further information please contact Rachel Hargrave at The Phoenix Partners on 01509 815 026 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Editors Notes:

Michael Cheung, Managing & Creative Director, Michael Associates Ltd, New Media Solutions

Michael Cheung set up the website design business in February 2005.  Since then the company has grown rapidly and has helped to seal its reputation for excellence in new media marketing solutions.  January 2006 saw the company develop into a full marketing design agency with products and services offered from website design, graphic design, environmentally friendly print, digital publishing, eMarketing, and search engine optimisation.  Michael’s company is a true one-stop marketing agency which helps reduce production time but retain hi-end service on all of its activities.   Clients are local, national across the UK and helps service customers worldwide from all corners of the globe.

Michael graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2000 and went onto develop new media solutions for the drinks industry, education supplies sector and computer peripherals in both private and public.

Michael is an active member in the business community and believes that everyone has the ability to succeed, and he gets involved in many schemes that develop business talent and encourages growth.  This year he was a judge at this year’s national Shell Step scheme looking for the most enterprising student during their summer work placement and also speaks at local universities and colleges on entrepreneurship and real-life business issues.

DVD Blu-ray Duplication is Michael’s latest business innovation and was established in 2009.