We tend to keep the lights off on the front of our house, unless we know folks are coming over. I know, it’s not very inviting, but there is one very good reason, and I was ecstatic today to see that BC Hydro backed up my rationale!
Lots of houses on our street have their lights glowing all night long, but some of them switch off at 11 pm. That’s all well and good, nice and safe for folks still coming and going about their business. It does create a lot of light pollution, though, when I’m out there in the garden with the doggo right before bed. Hard to see the stars and the night sky. But that’s not the only issue, and that takes us to my reason for keeping the lights off.
In the BC Hydro article Rethink your exterior lighting… for the birds, they highlight that more people are lighting up, even when there’s not one around to see it or need it. Their recommendation is a refreshingly simple one: turn off the lights overnight! Let’s go through some reasons why this matters. I’m hoping one of them will make you flip that switch.
- It saves you real money: Outdoor lights are often left on for 8-12 hours per night. In my book (page 90), I give an example of the energy used in lightbulbs. Lighting accounts for 15% of a home’s electricity usage.
- It extends the life of your bulbs. Swap out for LEDs; they last longer, but not forever. Turning off your lights when you don’t need them means fewer replacements, lower long-term costs, and of course, less waste.
- DRUM ROLL FOR THIS ONE PLEASE… It helps wildlife. The bright exterior lighting you have on confuses migrating birds. Birds mostly migrate at night, but the lighting in houses causes them to fly off course, circle buildings and losing energy needed for migration. Please read the article I linked above!
So, your porch light? Switch it off, it’s a tiny lighthouse in the wrong place, and is not helping our feathered friends.
Still not sure? Let’s look at a few numbers. I’m putting it all out there in the hopes of converting you, because math is not my strong suit!
Assumptions:
- 10W LED bulb (typical modern exterior light)
- On for 10 hours per night
- Electricity cost in BC = $0.14/kWh (approx average)
Energy use per day:
- 10W = 0.01 kW
- 0.01 kW × 10 hours = 0.1 kWh/day
Yearly use:
- 0.1 × 365 = 36.5 kWh/year
Cost per year:
- 36.5 × $0.14 = $5.11/year
If your home has a porch light, garage light, side yard light, and decorative lighting, that could turn into $20-$40+ per year.
The house opposite ours has about 11 decorative lights across the front, yikes! If any of those bulbs are older (40-60W equivalent), the cost jumps quickly since LEDs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.
I’m not asking you to roam around your garden like a Victorian ghost in A Christmas Carol, but there are smarter options to save money and the birds:
- Motion sensors
- Timers
- Turning lights off before bed
- Or my personal favourite, if no one is watching, why is it on?
Now, I don’t want to keep on preaching, but this could be just one of the many invisible habits that are quietly draining our money away. A few dollars here and there might not feel like much, but stacking them on top of subscriptions, dinner out, and coffee on the way to work could be sabotaging your financial goals.
So, before you go to bed tonight, walk past your switches and turn off anything that is on, and wander around looking to see what you’ve missed.
Your future self and our migrating birds, will thank you.
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