For your comfort, why waste them?
Army fuel-conservation poster: a cutaway barracks building with arrows labelled LIGHTS, HEAT and HOT WATER, a bulb, a bed, and a soldier shaving at a basin. Short instructions say to turn off lights, keep windows shut and use no more hot water than needed. The technique is faint here; the closest is the plain, everyday soldier as the viewer's stand-in.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army, Office of the Chief of Engineers (Army Conservation Project No. 118-E-26)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- War and the military, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Army, Office of the Chief of Engineers. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-819 (NAID 514314).
Text on the object
FOR YOUR COMFORT LIGHTS TURN THEM OFF WHEN NOT NEEDED. TAKES A LOT OF FUEL TO FEED THEM HEAT OPEN WINDOWS HEAT THE OUT-OF-DOORS. IMPROPER FIRING WASTES FUEL UP THE CHIMNEY. HOT WATER GIVE THE NEXT MAN A BREAK. USE NO MORE THAN YOU NEED. TURN OFF TIGHT. WHY WASTE THEM ? FUEL IS SCARCE. CONSERVE IT NOW WE'LL NEED IT LATER U.S. ARMY SAVE CONSERVATION PROGRAM OFFICE, CHIEF OF ENGINEERS ARMY CONSERVATION PROJECT No. 118-E-26 [imprint: U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-609906]
