[Gumnut82]

Do you switch lights off when you leave a room?? As in, if you won't be back for a reasonable amount of time (eg. an hour)?

I got in a quasi argument with my colleagues today about the fact that I constantly find the lights/fans/wall-mounted AC left on when there is nobody in our small, 5-person staffroom. Their logic was that 'You don't know if somebody else might come in' so the lights should simply be left on all day for convenience. I was essentially laughed at for suggesting that the last person out at any time should switch things off, because we never know if/when somebody will be coming back in. (FTR, this is a room with plenty of natural light so it's not like you're fumbling in the dark for a switch, and it's not a public space or thoroughfare at all.)


So, what do you do? Do you switch off lights automatically when you're "done" in a room (ie. not just ducking out for 2min) or do you leave them on, because somebody else may go in at an unknown time in the future?

[Old Grey Mare]

Automatically switch off lights always. It drives me bananas when others don't do likewise.

[boatiebabe]

At home I usually switch off all the lights after DH has walked in and left them all on.

He will have a shower and the kids too while I am cooking dinner and I go upstairs two hours later to find all the Tastic lights going on full, fans on etc. I can't imagine how much power that is sucking!

At work, the lights are on auto in staff room areas so they turn off when no one is there and then turn on if someone approaches.

In your work situation I would think I would turn lights off and on.

[Bluenomi]

At home yes but not at work. I'm forever turning lights on at work because people seem to think dark stairwells are awesome. That said my office is in the basement so without lights it's blooming dark!

[squeekums]

Im lights on .
If im going out and know ill be back late ill leave on lights. Hate navigating through toys in the dark. Spare room light stays on all night so I have some light if I get up.
General in and out of rooms I usually forget to turn them off

[Rolex]

At work the only light that gets turned off is the bathroom. Well the girls does, not sure about the guys. Small company, only 3 of us girls working there, so it's not like someone is always using the bathroom.

At home, yes always. Although we do leave one on when we're out in the evening.

[blackcat20]

At home most lights are switched off when leaving a room (except maybe a small lamp in the kitchen or bedroom). At my old work we switched off the kitchen and bathroom lights when done, but where I am now it gets too dark inside so its safer to leave them on.

[Funwith3]

There is a big difference between work and home. At home, lights and tv always get turned off when I leave the room. At work, with people constantly coming and going, the light to the kitchen, stairwell, reception area etc are left on all day. The last person to leave the office for the day goes and turns everything off.

[amabanana]

YES! It drives me crazy when DH walks around the house leaving a trail of lights behind him.

I am not currently working but my previous workplace had lights with movement sensors that would turn off if they didn't sense movement for a few minutes. Was a bit annoying in meetings when the lights would suddenly turn off though!

[wish*upon*a*star]

Home ones are automatic so I don't have to worry about it. At other people's houses I will turn them off and will in some rooms at work (meeting rooms), not others (tea room) and my office only when I am finished at the end of the day