don't worry limited. It is AIBU after all. Didn't have time to respond properly this morning - you make some valid points and I am aware of the economics involved.
I'm not necessarily having a go at retailers per se. It just happened that I walked down a fucking freezing high street and happened to witness shop after shop belching out hot air into a freezing environment. I'm no hardline eco-warrier (although like most of this these days, I try to be aware of the impact of my actions), and yes, you're right, my rickety old home spews out a lot of energy.
BUT
if a vaguely environmentally aware person like myself can be struck but the sheer waste, then how many other people feel the same. It's interesting to look at the carrier bag scenario as a comparison. Who would have thought 10-15 years ago that most of us would take our carrier bags to the supermarket to reuse and that M&S would actually charge us for them? Public attitudes have changed to the extent that I feel I have to mumble an apology when I forget my bags for life, and the cashiers in some shops give you a withered look. Of course, charging for a carrier bag works wonderfully in favour of the retailers, so this would have been a no-brainer for them.
However, I wonder if there was enough public pressure, then the retailers would be prepared to close their doors - even if were just for severely cold weather such as we have at the moment. Maybe, we'll have the scenario in 10 years time that withering looks will be conferred on premises with their doors open.
I suppose there is a calculation to be done somewhere:
Pluses:
Savings from lower heating bills
Increased trade from good PR
Minuses:
Cost of converting premises (automatic doors etc)
Decreased revenue from lower footfall.