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The Environmental Benefits of Turning Lights Off

Turning lights off has environmental benefits that often depend on the source of electricity produced and then reducing the consumption. Approximately 50 percent of the electricity produced in the United States is made by coal-fired power plants. Using non-renewable resources and fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas emit sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, particulate matter and heavy metals like mercury. Less consumption of energy by turning lights off reduces the use of these fuels and reduces their impact on the environment.

  1. Incandescent Lighting

    • Incandescent lights should be turned off when not needed. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of electricity used results in lighting with the rest of the energy turned into heat, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Turning incandescent lights off, especially in summer will keep a room cooler. This can reduce the use and cost of air conditioning.

    Fluorescent Lighting

    • Fluorescent lighting has in the past been left on for extensive periods of time. The belief was that the lights used a great deal of energy when getting started and energy was only conserved if the lights were turned off for more than 15 minutes. However, turning a fluorescent light off for more than five seconds will save more energy that what will be consumed by turning the light back on again, according to the U.S. Energy Department.

    Vending Lights

    • The University of Tennessee found that not only did lighting on vending machines cost the school more than $100,000 a year to operate, but the lights also have an environmental impact. By turning off vending machine lights less energy needs to be produced by power plants that, in turn, cause pollution. According to The University of Tennessee website, turning off lights on vending machines will remove 130 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air. The environmental benefit is the equivalent of keeping 25 cars off the road per year.

    "Lights Out Program"

    • Another benefit of turning lights off, in addition to saving energy, is that of saving birds. Most often birds migrate during the night and can be drawn off course by lighted structures in the way of their flight path. Birds die as a result of collisions with buildings or from exhaustion after circling because of a reluctance to fly away away from the lights. According to the Audubon Minnesota website, the Lights Out Program could dramatically reduce collisions and also save energy. By reducing energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced.

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