In our modern world today we rely on electricity and fossil fuels for just about everything, from powering our cars to providing us with light, the discovery and harnessing of fossil fuels has allowed humanity to grow and achieve incredible feats.
But too much of anything can be detrimental and with research and studies now showing the harsh consequences of our fossil fuel use on the planet, it is time we begin changing our ways.
The Lights Out Challenge has been created to help us start shifting our mentalities, become more aware of our energy consumption, and ultimately to take action for our planet.
How it Works
It’s very simple, all you need to do is switch off all your lights one hour before bed! This is an easy and actionable thing that you can do that it will not only make a difference in your energy consumption but also a difference in your daily life.
Facts for the Planet
It’s safe to say that our use of fossil fuels is wreaking the planet. From the mining and drilling of these resources to the burning and processing, the effects of fossil fuel use include land degradation, water pollution, air pollution, and ocean acidification. This causes animals to die off and biodiversity to be lost. The burning of oil, coal and gas (fossil fuels) results in vast emissions of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases trap heat within the atmosphere and cause global warming which leads to climate change.
South Africa ranks as the 7th largest consumer of electricity in households with electricity, according to the World Energy Council, with an average of 4,389 kWh/year being used per household.
Facts for the People
Electricity also has an effect on us! That’s right, our brains and bodies actually respond negatively to the fake light that comes off light bulbs. If you think about it, hundreds of years ago when we didn’t have electricity we would pretty much go to bed when the sun went down. Sure there was fire, but still you couldn’t stay up for hours at night watching TV or YouTube videos. Removing yourself from fake light before bed can be very beneficial to achieving better sleep and feeling more rested. It can also help you to feel less stressed and more relaxed.
Not having your lights on can also make you feel more creative. Light some candles, pour yourself a cup of tea and settle down with your journal, a good book, or maybe you want to work on a project or perhaps play a board game with your family. Switching off your lights can inspire you to do something different instead of your usual evening routine and if that means saving on your energy consumption at the same time, then I don’t see a reason not to give this challenge a try!
Conclusion
These are just a handful of the facts and effects that electricity and fossil fuels have on the planet and on our lives, but as you can see it is vital that we started changing our ways and taking action for the planet and life as a whole, because without a strong healthy planet life wouldn’t really be possible. The Lights Out Challenge is a simple challenge that you can do anywhere and only requires a little care for the planet and the flip of a light switch!
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