This Is What It Means If You See A Green Porch Light

The average American homeowner is typically installing warm or cool lighting for the outdoor areas of their home, per Northwest Outdoor Lighting. That goes for backyards and front yards, including many front porches. But of course that is all dependent on personal preference and on what color they want for the exterior lighting of their home. Outside of the standard warm or cool, there are color variations that can signify something else. When it comes to porch lighting, some homes might go for any of the colors of the rainbow.

Just as major skyscrapers and skylines in many American cities observe holidays or awareness months with designated lighting, the average American has always had the will to do the same. And has. Many people use their porch lights to observe and pay respects to certain causes, holidays, or a demographic of people. And by installing a green light on a porch, a homeowner is paying their respects to a highly regarded group of Americans.

If you were to ever see green lighting up someone's porch, know that they are observing Veterans Day or paying their respects to veterans in general, says Homenish. The tradition stems from a Walmart campaign launched in 2015 to honor the men and women who've been deployed.

Per Military Times, the retail giant kicked off the "Greenlight a Vet" campaign, encouraging Americans to show their support for veterans by displaying green lighting on their porches. The company says that when vets aren't in uniform, most people won't acknowledge their service. But the green lighting is a way to show support and gratitude for them, uniform or not.

Elsewhere in the world, a green light is a sign of refuge for someone in need of help, such as migrants in Poland, per Infomigrant. In the U.S., the meaning of the green light can vary, depending on what message the homeowner intends to get across. A green porch light could also mean an observance of St. Patrick's Day, or possibly Lyme disease awareness month, says Homenish. The former and latter are done in March and May, respectively. If the green light is lit in November, however, it is a very safe assumption that it is being done to show respect to veterans.