Turn off the lights
Being 'eco friendly' may sometimes seem complicated, time consuming or expensive, but doing this action is outrageously simple: turn off the lights!
Money
No one likes that moment when the bills come in and the hard-earned cash goes out. Lighting typically accounts for 15% of an average households' energy bills.1 You could quite literally reduce your bills with the flick of a switch.
£1.9bn
500kg
Climate change
Climate change is happening. 97% of the world's scientists agree that man made climate change is a real thing. It's happening now, but with a little effort from each one of us, we can stop it getting a lot worse. If you're still sceptical, or would like more facts to convince your friends, take a look at Climate Reality Project's 'Climate 101'.
It's no news that climate change is caused by carbon emissions, and that electricity generation is one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions. So leaving your lights on when not needed is a completely unnecessary contributor to climate change.
Even if you have energy-saving light bulbs, there is still nothing better for saving energy than switching them off when not in use.
Global Goals
In September 2017, an historic agreement was signed by UN member nations agreeing to work towards 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development by 2030, otherwise known as the SDGs.
Achieving these ambitious goals will require action from governments, businesses, NGOs, and individuals alike. We can - and must - all play our part.
By making the 'Lights off' pledge, you are contributing in your own small way to the following SDG targets:
7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
How
This one is super-duper easy:
Not in the room? Lights off. Daylight outside? Lights off.
You can also go the extra mile and insert sensor or timer lights to avoid leaving lights on in areas like porches and stairwells.
There is a long-standing myth that leaving lights on for a few minutes uses less energy than turning them off and on again. In fact, it's almost always best to turn lights off when you leave the room, saving you energy and money on those pesky bills.
That's pretty much all there is too it.
Success Stories
2,749
Pledges
in total
19,738kg
CO2
pledged
References
- Energy Saving Trust
- BBC
- Mike Berners-Lee (2010) The Carbon Footprint of Everything, Profile Books Ltd.
Images
3 & 4. Do The Green Thing