Politicians take zero-electricity challenge

Exeter politicians from all parties are braving a challenge to live for a whole day without electricity to help get people thinking about their energy use.

The Pull the Plug challenge is being organised by Exeter Community Energy (ECOE) and will see local councillors Rosie Denham and Adrian Fullam and parliamentary candidates Diana Moore and Dom Morris go a full day with no phone, car, TV, laptop – or indeed anything else with a current.

The challenge lasts for the whole of Sunday 12 October and ECOE want as many people as possible to take part.

Everyone doing so is invited to join the politicians at 2pm outside the Pizza Express on Cathedral Green, where they’ll share their ideas and experiences – and then drop in on some shops and café’s to persuade them to pull some plugs.

People will be sharing photos of their friends and family taking the challenge on facebook and twitter using #pulltheplug.

ECOE Executive Director Joe Smee said: “Imagine a life entirely without electricity: how would you get to work, talk to your friends, make dinner… or even just a cup of tea? We #pulltheplug all take electricity for granted, so Pull the Plug is a great way to make people think twice about where it comes from and how precious it is.”

ECOE is an innovative social enterprise that is setting up Exeter’s first community owned solar power project, which will soon provide locally produced green energy to community buildings and create a fund for energy-related community projects.

Joe Smee said: “As things stand almost all the energy we use comes from big energy companies and distant power stations. Pull the Plug is a good demonstration of the challenge – and the opportunity – involved in taking control of our energy. Our first solar power project is the first step towards Exeter taking the power back.”