During the ongoing economic crisis in the U.S., many Americans have been living on reduced budgets.

In Bulgaria, I observed my friends and neighbors turning off lights when exiting rooms. Eventually, I started doing the same; however, not only did I turn off lights, I unplugged my laptop, TV, and lamps when they weren’t in use.

Today, back in the U.S., I continue to turn off lights when exiting a room because, let’s face it, the party’s over and anything I can do to reduce the electric bill–not to mention conserve energy–is beneficial. Perhaps I should start using candles instead of light bulbs!

Cultural Lesson: Many Bulgarians celebrate their “name day” (the feast day of the saint after whom they are named) in addition to their birthdays. Usually, they acknowledge the day by lighting a candle at a local church and having a family meal.

Filed under: Electricity on April 18th, 2010