$1,000,000 a Day Wasted: Conserve and You Serve Uncle Sam
Hotel-industry conservation poster: a striped red-and-white ground, a tilted sign reading '$1,000,000 a day wasted', and a bin marked WASTE overflowing with food, cutlery, a toaster, a chair and china. A footer lists ways to save heat, water, soap, ice and linen. The single large figure is given without a source (card-stacking), and the flag-like stripes link thrift to service to Uncle Sam (transfer).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- American Hotel Association
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Corporation
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, 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)
American Hotel Association. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1458 (NAID 515121).
Text on the object
$1,000,000 A DAY WASTED WASTE [seal:] AMERICAN HOTEL ASSOCIATION AHA CONSERVE and you SERVE UNCLE SAM Conserving means eliminating unnecessary waste. Let's help win the war by wiping out the $1,000,000 a day waste in hotels of food, materials and equipment essential for war. Save heat. Keep windows closed. Save water. Turn off faucets. Switch off unused lights, fans. Turn off or turn down range burners. Handle linens with care. Stop breakage of china and glassware. Save soap. Don't waste ice. Take good care of machinery and equipment. Take care of your uniform. Don't use linens or towels for cleaning. Don't waste stationery, ink, pens, etc.
