Turning the Light Off

Whether rushing to class at 9 in the morning, to the gym in the afternoon, or even when I was  off to my dad’s car to be picked up for spring break this past week, turning off the light before leaving my room, especially when distracted, isn’t always the first thing on my mind. Mindlessly leaving my room without turning off the light has become a major habit, and it’s very harmful to the environment. I waste so much electricity just because I am too distracted, in a rush, or excited to be somewhere.

This habit is something I realize that I really want to change. Leaving a light on all day, as small as it appears, consumes electricity which produces some bigger impacts. The electricity I am using comes from power plants that burn vast amounts of fossil fuels. By wasting this electricity, I am increasing emissions, which is not good for the environment. Although, this is not something I am thinking about when I come back to my room realizing I had left the light on all day.

It is an action so simple, and so quick, why can’t I just do it? As easy as it may seem, this may be a very challenging task for me as I am not used to paying special attention to the light switch when I am in rush to class or out of my dorm room. The first thing on my mind is, “Am I on time?” and “Where are my keys?” and I think it will be very difficult to change “Is the light off?” to my number one thought when leaving the room. As simple as the task is, the bigger challenge will be changing my priorities from rushing out the door in record time, to making an environmentally friendly change in my lifestyle.