It reminds me of an episode or "Red Dwarf" !
The whole economy of earth was sustained by someone leaving a light on before going on a long trip! The light was using a resource and the power company kept on supplying and billing the guy who was away, sending him regular bills .... which he never got so didn't pay .... causing the power company to issue legal procedings ...... thereby generating the sum total of planet earth's wealth!
Amazing how thought provoking these cheap Sci-fi's can be!