YORKSHIRE’S 'woke' children are bullying their parents into becoming more eco-friendly to save the planet, according to new research by leading comparison site Moneyexpert.com. 

Pester power is becoming a force for good as half of mums and dads say they have been pressured to go green and save energy by the mini Greta Thunbergs in their own home. And while you might expect vocal teenagers to drive behaviour change – two thirds of parents say the pressure is coming from kids as young as four.

   However, despite kids heaping on the pressure, four in five, 80 per cent, of parents say that it’s actually their children who are the biggest energy-wasters. Over half of parents say they still have to nag their eco-warrior kids to switch off lights in unused rooms, and 26 per cent say their child takes longer than usual in the shower.

The study, to mark Big Energy Saving Week, may highlight the visibility and influence of teenage climate-change activist Greta Thunberg, and recent events such as the Australian bush fires, is having on the nation’s children, and their family’s energy consumption habits at home. Three quarters 74 per cent of parents say the ‘mini Greta’ in their home has talked more or asked more questions about the environment and the climate crisis over the past 12 months.   

  Jason Smith, CEO of Moneyexpert.com, said: “Typically the focus of Big Energy Saving Week is about making ethical choices about energy consumption – and in light of the climate crisis, we want to make people aware that it is absolutely possible to save money in an environmentally responsible way. Misperceptions about the cost of green energy are getting in the way of people taking steps that are both purse-friendly and planet-friendly. 

"With a couple more months of winter, and high energy bills ahead, now is a great time to listen to your kids, re-evaluate your current expenditure, and explore whether there’s a better deal available from a renewable energy supplier.”