Content note: Shows caricatures of Hitler and a Japanese military figure, the second struck in the face, with exaggerated features. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Stop waste, save fuel
Fuel-saving poster in red and black: a cartoon figure with a toothbrush moustache and swastika armband is caught by a sliding window under WINDOWS DOWN, and a cartoon figure in round glasses and a sun-disc badge is punched in the face under LIGHTS OUT. Coal figures (5 to 10 lbs. per open window per hour; 1 lb. for 2 or 3 lights) set the savings beside caricatured enemy leaders.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Federal Works Agency, Public Buildings Administration, Office of Buildings Management (National Fuel Efficiency Program)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- 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)
Federal Works Agency, Public Buildings Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1822 (NAID 515502).
Text on the object
STOP WASTE WINDOWS DOWN One Open Window can waste from 5 to 10 lbs. of Coal per Hour LIGHTS OUT To save 1 lb. of Coal per Hour- turn out 2 or 3 lights NATIONAL FUEL EFFICIENCY PROGRAM P-2182 SAVE FUEL Federal Works Agency-Public Buildings Admin.-Office of Buildings Management
