Lights out, uh huh, dance dance dance

Despite my career choice, I am a bit of a hippie. That is why I absolutely loved a little device in my hotel room. In the picture below you see a small slot or cradle next to the door. I will be the first to admit that this could exist anywhere, but it was my first experience and it was great.

When I arrived at the hotel, I received one small key card that gained me access to my room. After fighting with the light switches, I finally realized that to turn on the power in the room, I had to put my key card into the slot.

When I left the room I would grab the key card and all of the power in the room including the heat would shut off. I had a, "well, duh!" moment. It seems like such a logical way for a hotel to reduce energy usage and help control costs. I hope this idea gains traction around the world! (If it hasn't already.)