"Apaga la luz!"
My house is usually united, I live with both my parents and my older sister Diana, for the most part there is harmony but like every other family we sometimes argue and can't stand each other.
For a few years now we've been arguing over one small issue: electricity. My sister and mother seem to think there is an endless supply of electricity and so they never think twice about having every light on in every room, and all appliances turned on - all the time.
On the other side are the minimalists, my father and myself, who more often than not live in the dark, and when we aren't using something, that something is usually turned off.
I was prompted to write this because I just got home to a usual but still very painful scene. My father is out to work, my sister was outside waiting for her ride and my mom was talking on the phone to my grandmother in Peru. As I've come to expect, all the lights in the first floor were on, including the TV in the living room and the TV in my parents room, neither of which were being watched. I went to the basement were my bedroom is located, along with another living room, a laundry room, and a bathroom (mine). The lights in the living room were on, along with my old computer which is now my mother's, and yet another TV set also on. There's also a lamp by the computer which was on (DESPITE the fact that the lights in the living room were on, my mother claims it's not sufficient lighting, I don't understand how her eyes take the punishment)
She's doing laundry so those appliances are on, but so is the light in the laundry room. Out of all the rooms in the house that is the one that causes the most arguments, my father and I argue that the light almost NEVER needs to be turned on, and they ALWAYS leave it on - EVEN WITH THE DOOR CLOSED - I've gone as far as to put reminders on the doors (read the subject line) and inside the laundry room so they won't do it, but it still happens. Whenever I ask my mom why she does it she always goes "because I'm doing laundry!" but when I ask why she leaves it on even when she's not in the room loading or unloading the machines she has no good answer.
I just wish they'd be more concerned with how much energy we use. This isn't really about being green or whatever, it's more about not being wasteful and saving some money. It's also about not pissing us off, it's so irritating to have to turn lights off all the time, or coming home to a house that might as well glow in the dark.
For a few years now we've been arguing over one small issue: electricity. My sister and mother seem to think there is an endless supply of electricity and so they never think twice about having every light on in every room, and all appliances turned on - all the time.
On the other side are the minimalists, my father and myself, who more often than not live in the dark, and when we aren't using something, that something is usually turned off.
I was prompted to write this because I just got home to a usual but still very painful scene. My father is out to work, my sister was outside waiting for her ride and my mom was talking on the phone to my grandmother in Peru. As I've come to expect, all the lights in the first floor were on, including the TV in the living room and the TV in my parents room, neither of which were being watched. I went to the basement were my bedroom is located, along with another living room, a laundry room, and a bathroom (mine). The lights in the living room were on, along with my old computer which is now my mother's, and yet another TV set also on. There's also a lamp by the computer which was on (DESPITE the fact that the lights in the living room were on, my mother claims it's not sufficient lighting, I don't understand how her eyes take the punishment)
She's doing laundry so those appliances are on, but so is the light in the laundry room. Out of all the rooms in the house that is the one that causes the most arguments, my father and I argue that the light almost NEVER needs to be turned on, and they ALWAYS leave it on - EVEN WITH THE DOOR CLOSED - I've gone as far as to put reminders on the doors (read the subject line) and inside the laundry room so they won't do it, but it still happens. Whenever I ask my mom why she does it she always goes "because I'm doing laundry!" but when I ask why she leaves it on even when she's not in the room loading or unloading the machines she has no good answer.
I just wish they'd be more concerned with how much energy we use. This isn't really about being green or whatever, it's more about not being wasteful and saving some money. It's also about not pissing us off, it's so irritating to have to turn lights off all the time, or coming home to a house that might as well glow in the dark.