Growing up in the Midwest, it was a standard practice to leave a light on in the house when no one was home. It was, as my mom saw it, a means of providing extra safety, and a "greeting" of sorts when we got home.

Nevermind that locking the front door would have been an even better safety solution -- ours was open nearly all the time. But that light. It indicated that there was life at our house. That things were in order. And that a warm and cozy home awaited our arrival.

For those of us who grew up with this habit, it can be a hard one to break. Even when we rationally consider the drain on Mother Earth, the up-ticking energy bills, and the increased risk of fires due to instable task lighting.

When we remove our "nostalgia"  hat and replace it with our "green" one, common sense gets the better of us. Still, the security of having a well-lit entry is a real and reasonable concern, and therefore finding a solution for both is the real mission at hand. Fortunately, there are a couple simple solutions.

In order of cost and set-up time, here they are:

1) Get a timer for your entryway or front window lamp. You get home at around 7 each night, so set the timer for 6:45 and leave the light off the rest of the day. These timers are cheap, and easy to program. Cost: $5-$50.

2) Install motion-detecting lights in your driveway. These will only turn on when you pass by them, illuminating the front of your house long enough for you to make a safe entry. Cost: $40-$200.

3) There's an app for that! Believe it or not, there's an iPhone application called Shlage Link that allows you to turn your lights off and on from wherever you are. Assuming you'll purchase the accessories that accompnay it, for around $299, and pay the $12 monthly fee.

[Image at top: Kristi Fontamillas via Flickr]