Recently I asked the question under the math section as to how much would it cost to leave a regular light bulb on all day. Well the general consensus is just a few cents. (not that we would ever leave it on all day) My mother in law is constantly turning of all the lights in our house, leaving us basically in the dark in the evenings not only because she is trying to save money but (being a long time sierra club member and Environmentalist) her main concern is energy conservation. Where do we draw the line with energy conservation? I mean it seams so over the top to be sitting in the dark with only one light on most evenings. How much environmental damage is a light doing?

The "damage" from a light bulb or two is minimal. A 60 watt bulb left on for 8 hours at night will use 0.48 Kw/hr (the cost depends on your local utility rates).

But it raises another issue–that is more important: how "green" do we need to be. For what it’s worth, here’s my view. The key is to use common sense. I don’t think people should make themselves unconfortable by forcing themselves into a lifestyle they really don’t like. And I think the things we all can do WITHOUT going to extremes are the really important things. Here’s a couple of examples:

>If you switch to the compact flourescent bulbs, you’re going to cut energy use by 75-80% even if you use lighting as much as you always did. And trying to push the issue at that point might save another 2-3%–but is it worth it? I’d say no. And–besides the help to the environment, this acutally puts money in people’s pockets in lower utility bills–so there’s a personal benefit as well.

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> Much the same for appliances. I’m in the middle of switching over to energy efficient appliances. I have a budget, like most people–so I’m waiting until its time to replace items anyway–then I can afford a little extra for an energy efficient model (and again, energy savings will eventually pay for that relatively small difference).

>Some things help the environmet that are just good sense anyway. For example, because I work at home, the computer needs to be on pretty much all the time. But–I have the "hibernate" feature activated. That cuts the energy use by a sizeable fraction–and saves wear and tear on the system besides.

My point is that using common sense–and a little research–will show most people ways they can cut energy use by a considerable amount–and save money in the bargain, or at least with little or no cost. And without having to inconvenience themselves or change their lifestyle in any drastic fashion. And–that’s where the really big savings in eergy are anyway.

So-get a compact flourescent bulb and leave the light on if you want to!