Turning the lights off — a simple way to save the planet

With so many troubling features on the news about climate change, it can feel like we are utterly powerless to change the fate of our climate. It’s true that our efforts at home are a drop in the bucket compared to the larger scale of big business and government, but even small changes we do at home can remove thousands of pounds of co2 from the atmosphere.

Not everyone can give up their cars, live in a tiny home, or even have control of the thermostat, but there is one change you can make pretty much anywhere.

Turn the lights out when you’re not using them.

Turning off your lights requires no financial investment to get started. You don’t even need $5 for an energy efficient bulb. (But that helps too.)

How much can being the Light Police in your house save? 0.15 pounds of co2 per hour. That might not sound like a lot, but when every light in the house is burning cause your kid went to the bathroom and thinks light switches work in one direction, it adds up.

How much? If you just keep 1 light off less than you normally would for 12 hours a day, you’ll prevent 657 pounds of co2 from entering the atmosphere.

That’s a pretty staggering amount for just a tiny bulb.

The next time you walk through the house and notice a light is on that doesn’t need to be, turn it off. It’s good for the planet.