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[Lissy]

I was raised in a home where if you left a room and did not turn off the light, you'd be in trouble - always, every time. Well, it paid off: I keep turning off unused lights on autopilot, saving some $$. Do you do that?

[joe]

yes it is always good to switch off the lights when we don't require. it will not only save the power but also will save your budget. 

[antkmom]

I am trying to train my kids the way you were trained.  I feel like a broken record saying turn off the lights!   

I follow them around and make sure the lights are off.  The tv's and computers too!   Hopefully all this drilling will sink in soon.

[Lissy]

Implementing some unpleasant consequences for not turning the lights off might help antkmom.

My husband comes from a family where falling asleep with the TV on appears to be a habit. He does not do that, thank God, but he sure does have a different background.

[bammer]

kudos to you liz! this little task saves so much indeed! my congratulations to your parents!

[lobster]

definitely yes, I usually turn off the lights if it's unused already and then before I leave I have to check firs the lights if it's already turn off as well the appliances..

[maui6347]

Absolutely, every time.  Energy costs have gone up so much this year that I doubt it's making a difference anymore.  This winter, we've seen electrical bills that rivaled what we had last summer.  Strange when normally the gas and electric bills switch with the season.  Our heat is natural gas so we're not sure how the bill can be so high for electric. 

[Lissy]

We have noticed it, too. Our electric bills this winter have been much higher than last year, and we do not do anything different, we use the same amount of electricity.

[Ricardo]

I turn off the lights that my wife leaves on, and it sometimes makes for heated "conversation." 

This is a very timely post, considering we had "Earth Hour" last night, or something like that where the city reduced lights for a period of time.

[bubble]

I always do it.

Why would I need a light on in a room when I am not in it myself?

Another thing I like to do is use candles to light up my rooms on a night.

[Lissy]

I always do it.

Why would I need a light on in a room when I am not in it myself?

Very good and perfectly logical question, but see, those not raised like that simply do not have it in their heads. They walk out of the room and nothing "clicks" to remind them that hey, you're out and the light still burning, eating energy.

[knight]

Well we usually don't like wasting energy especially with lights. We would always turn off our light whenever we left the house. And I am teaching these things to my kids now. I think this is a good thing to do and it should be passed from generation to generation.

[KrisNY]

I try! My big thing is turning off appliances or unplugging the cell phone charges when not in use. I hate to hear a fan running with no one in the room. Or the TV on when people are outside.
I have to remind my daughter of this all the time!

[AmandaT]

We always turn off unused lights, and use the lowest setting on our 3-ways.  We're getting more task lighting in to avoid using our larger lights much at all.

[Lissy]

I hate to hear a fan running with no one in the room. Or the TV on when people are outside.

This would drive me nuts, too. The way my mom would deal with it when I was growing up was asking the question, "Who's watching TV?" or "Who is in the bedroom?" - or whatever other room had the lights on. If the answer was, Nobody, it meant that someone was in trouble!