The service includes a green home health check, providing advice on energy and water saving, waste reduction and recycling. It also provides financial incentive by alerting people of discounts from energy companies or wall insulation, as well as offering financial support and grants for greening their homes.

One interesting – and perhaps key – aspect of the service is that the shops won't just sit with doors open, waiting for homeowners to come in for advice. Beginning in April, the service will go door-to-door offering advice on travel, water and energy efficiency.

This is a wonderful service that every government should consider providing to its citizens. If we want to lower our carbon dioxide emissions, we must green existing homes and buildings. In order to do that, energy companies and the government must cooperate to provide incentives to homeowners, such as this service.