No lights for a week

[larknm]

To get myself to be more conscious when lights are on, I want to go a week without any. I got this idea from Osceola McCarty who gave $150,000 to Southern Miss. U on wages washing clothes all her life. As I recall, one of her frugality methods was not to use lights her whole life.

[puglogic]

Lark, what a great idea!

I remember a few years ago when we had no power for almost a week. Our rhythms shifted, and we gained a much deeper appreciation of light, and energy in general.

[catherine]

I remember reading about McCarty--what an inspiring story!! Amazing.

I like your idea about no lights! Will you use any form of light, like candles? Or use flashlights to get around? Or just go to bed early and awaken with the sun?

Let us know about your experience.

[Gardenarian]

I love this idea! Maybe I'll give it shot next week - dd will be on a camping trip.
Thanks!
Will you have no internet, TV, etc. after dark as well?

[ApatheticNoMore]

Cool idea, I've thought of it, but how it would work practically ... using the computer with no lights seems to defeat the whole purpose - a computer obviously uses more energy than lights. A flashlight and reading fine (no e-readers here so paper books - I often forget non-paper books even exist). Cooking - uh I really am best not cooking with only a flashlight, I can't imagine it working well. Sure I could warm up canned whatever by flashlight in Armegeddon, but that's what I mean by cooking.

[bae]

Using a flashlight with batteries seems environmentally absurd, given the life-cycle costs of batteries. (Think about the energy required to mine and refine the materials in the battery, and the energy needed to properly dispose of it...).

[catherine]

Using a flashlight with batteries seems environmentally absurd, given the life-cycle costs of batteries. (Think about the energy required to mine and refine the materials in the battery, and the energy needed to properly dispose of it...).

I just meant from getting from one room to another. Candles actually have their own issues, when used as a sole source of light for long periods of time.

[JaneV2.0]

A few years back we went without electricity for 5 or 6 days. In 26-degree weather. The cats and I slept a lot...

[SteveinMN]

using the computer with no lights seems to defeat the whole purpose - a computer obviously uses more energy than lights
Just for the record (and because I'm geeky about stuff like this), computers actually can use much less energy than lights, even if they're not "sleeping". A laptop computer will use between about 15 and 60 watts per hour, depending on what it's doing (bootup and playing videos are most intensive). Tablets will use even fewer watts. Even a recent desktop computer with an LCD monitor, but not tons of other objects cabled to it, will use no more than about 100-120 watts per hour.

And in the FWIW department, DW and I sometimes will spend entire evenings in the dark on our respective computers, reading or watching videos or doing "homework". We find people don't bother knocking on the door when the house is dark. ;)

[KayLR]

Lark, I look forward to reading about your experience.

[Tussiemussies]

Really interesting idea! We went without electricity last year I think it was for five days. We did use candles and a flashlight at times.

Is there a book about the woman you mentioned in your post? I would love to read more about what her life was like. Thanks...

[puglogic]

A few years back we went without electricity for 5 or 6 days. In 26-degree weather. The cats and I slept a lot...

I know! I look back at my journal entries from our powerless time, and we kept the woodstove going (cooked pancakes and soup on top of it), played musical instruments and sang, wrote, read books, dozed with the dogs a lot in front of the fire, and just didn't have any inclination to do much of anything after the sun went down or before it came up. We shoveled snow as needed - it snowed for four days -- went for walks to check on our neighbors, chopped wood....

It was strangely lovely and healing. I don't think I'll ever forget it.

In fact, just the thought of you doing this brings back good memories, Lark.

[Tussiemussies]

I know! I look back at my journal entries from our powerless time, and we kept the woodstove going (cooked pancakes and soup on top of it), played musical instruments and sang, wrote, read books, dozed with the dogs a lot in front of the fire, and just didn't have any inclination to do much of anything after the sun went down or before it came up. We shoveled snow as needed - it snowed for four days -- went for walks to check on our neighbors, chopped wood....




It was strangely lovely and healing. I don't think I'll ever forget it.

In fact, just the thought of you doing this brings back good memories, Lark.


Pug, it sounds like such a nurturing time you had!

[Yarrow]

I lived without electricity for a week due to a bad ice storm this past winter. It was somewhat challenging as it was very cold, but I was able to keep a fire going 24/7 in the little fireplace in the living room, and I slept next to it on the couch, snuggling with the kitties. It was cozy and made for some nice memories.... I used candles at night, and had a flashlight at hand to see my way to the bathroom. My house is so tiny that it wasn't too difficult to get from room to room. I pretty much slept or read by candlelight once the sun went down. It was an interesting experience to live by nature's clock. I was able to still cook since I have a gas stove. I ate lots of hot soups, and drank a lot of hot tea to stay warm that week. The worst part was being so cold all of the time, especially at night...thermal underwear underneath layered clothing, and warm knitted hat and gloves, plus warm purring kitties by my side, made it doable. :)

[Float On]

Just for the record (and because I'm geeky about stuff like this), computers actually can use much less energy than lights, even if they're not "sleeping". A laptop computer will use between about 15 and 60 watts per hour, depending on what it's doing (bootup and playing videos are most intensive). Tablets will use even fewer watts. Even a recent desktop computer with an LCD monitor, but not tons of other objects cabled to it, will use no more than about 100-120 watts per hour.

And in the FWIW department, DW and I sometimes will spend entire evenings in the dark on our respective computers, reading or watching videos or doing "homework". We find people don't bother knocking on the door when the house is dark. ;)


So are computer screens in a dark room bad for your eyes? My DH is always yelling at us to turn some lights on that we'll go blind. I already have macular degeneration so I know I'm headed down that path but am I speeding things up?

[SteveinMN]

So are computer screens in a dark room bad for your eyes?
Computer screens are very similar to TV screens, whether they're tubes or LCDs/LEDs. "Bad for your eyes" is a fairly undefined term, so people take it for what it means to them.

Can looking at a computer/TV screen for long periods of time -- daylight or dark room -- cause eyestrain from the constant focusing at one distance? Yes. Can bright light sources surrounded by dark hurt our eyes? Temporarily, yes. Just let someone turn on all the lights in a dark room and watch how most people react. While these situations can make our eyes feel uncomfortable temporarily, there is no scientific proof that long exposures to TV screens, computer screens, or either in light or dark rooms causes permanent damage.

[tetrimbath]

Added incentive. Even a week without artificial light resets your body's clock and helps re-establish sleep patterns. So says this article from the US National Institute of Health.
http://directorsblog.nih.gov/2013/08/29/reset-your-body-clock-with-a-camping-trip/

[larknm]

Thanks for the info, tetrimbath. Tussiemussies, the book is Simple Wisdom for Rich Living by Oseola McCarty and there's another one about her too. Real inspiring to me but if you don't get the book, you can get a bit of her life in Wickipedia, but for me it's the accumulation of everyday ways of thinking and living that is terrific. I think I could only do my week in the summer--we get light until about 8:30 or 9 now. Also, DH is so nice about my trying things like this, he'll go along with it and probably learn from it too. I don't intend using the computer or cooking stuff. I don't do the latter much anyway, but rather let things come to room temp and cook my oatbran by mixing it with hot water from the tap. We have no TV but can do without the Netflix for a week. Usually we have the radio on all day on classical for our African Grey Parrot who loves music, but she also loves outside noises coming in the window. I sometimes use a flashlight at night to read without keeping DH, DP and DDogs awake, but won't use it that week, and just be very careful about getting to the bathroom without a flashlight, which I don't usually use anyway unless I'm afraid of stepping on one particular dog who sprawls out everywhere. The others sleep on the bed, right next to the bed and under the bed, so no problem there. DP sleeps on horizontal ladders and sticks up by the ceiling and watches me like a hawk if I have a lamp on at night.

[Zoe Girl]

Hmm, my kids are all on the night owl teenager rhythm but in a few years I could try this. I am again watching the little things like turning off the portable AC unit and leaving lights on around the house, I would like to try a very minimal electricity week. I wonder if I could check the meter and tell the difference. hmmm

[larknm]

Well, I failed at it. But the effort has made me more conscious of electric usage. But I wish I'd made it and may try again.

[Tussiemussies]

Well, I failed at it. But the effort has made me more conscious of electric usage. But I wish I'd made it and may try again.

Did you succeed to a point that made some difference?

[larknm]

Yes, Tussiemussies, and thanks for asking because you made me more aware of my progress. I am now better at the one thing I was aiming at: using electric lights.

[Tussiemussies]

Well I like to hear about it if you try again!