By Chris Welby, Good Energy’s Commercial Director

Summer, they tell us, is just round the corner, and whilst the Met Office may be keeping quiet after last year’s badly worded long-term forecast, the folklore predictions are for a really hot one.  This means one of my grumpy attacks will re-occur.

I am not the world’s best shopper, but over the years my wife has trained me in the art of browsing round the shops. Or rather, my wife browses and I chase after our 2 year old.

Still, you can picture the scene.  It is hot, I am run ragged by the small one, and my wife isn’t speaking to me for suggesting she had enough handbags (apparently, it is impossible for a woman to have too many bags, or shoes I am told).

Then, my bugbear attacks.  A shop with ice cold air conditioning.  I am not against air conditioning, I think sometimes shops are excessive in its use, but what really gets my goat is having it turned up to arctic levels, and then leaving the door wide open on a one shop mission to cool the planet down.

Personally, I think there should be a law against having air-conditioning (or heating) on in retail premises if you have the doors propped open.  You know the ones I mean.  Usually the big chains, who make a big fuss in their CSR reporting about how staff at HQ recycle the plastic cups from the coffee machine. (What is wrong with a china mug?!)

It annoys me, but to date I’ve not done anything about it, other than mutter under my breath.  I did think of boycotting those stores, but would they notice?  So instead, I will continue to shop as normal, but take the opportunity to ask them what is the point of air conditioning if they leave the door open, and what damage are they doing to the planet.  If others do the same, maybe we can embarrass them into closing their doors on this bad practice.