OT Earth Hour Tomorrow 8 pm | Arthritis Information
Maybe it's been in the news, but I missed it and maybe you did too. This Saturday night (tomorrow) at 8:00 pm is Earth Hour, an hour where people around the world (at 8 pm their local time) will turn off their lights for 1 hour to support conservation and fight climate change. It is largely symbolic, but an important symbol nonetheless. It was created by the World Wildlife Federation in Australia last year and this year over 100 cities in North America alone have agreed to participate.
Here is an article in Time, and the US Earth Hour website:
Let's join with people across the world to support this important cause.
I'm in.
So it's spring in Vancouver with budding bushes and trees and flowers everywhere. This morning I look out the window and it's
SNOWING!
That's some F*&^&d up S78t!
Stop global warming.We lose an hour tomorrow night as our clocks go forward for british summer time.......ha its more like mid winter here.HEY! That's awesome! Any idea if google earth will try to get some pics at that time, and the hour before (when lights are still on?)
Wonder how amazing that would be to look at!
I will have to keep an eye on google earth to see if they do. Good idea Katie.Sorry, I won't be following the green shirts.
Stephen, afraid of a little fire? ;-)
(candles)
Anyone else find it funny that "innerglow" posted about going electricity-free? Hee-hee, she won't notice the lights have been turned off!
(Sorry, been a long week, and I think the new meds are making me a bit kooky.)
Joy, it's even funnier when you find out I work for a lighting company.
kelstev, the Time article (link in my initial post) makes the point that turning out the lights for an hour isn't going to make a significant difference in our energy consumption, but will go a long way as a symbolic political gesture at a time when many are getting tired of thinking about energy usage (which is thought to be related to climate change) and going green. It's an issue we can't afford to ignore and it's hard to mobilize people into doing the right thing when they think they're doing it alone. This is a way to draw attention and to see what a difference we could make if we all work together. That's my take on it, anyway.
If you really want to just conserve energy with lighting, then replace incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs of lower wattages, turn off the lights when you leave the room, paint your walls light colors (dark colors absorb the light), don't use higher wattages than you need, and think about the placement of your lighting so you only use the light you need. This service message brought to you by your local out-on-disability lighting company employee.
Want more ways to make the most of your light? Here's a link to the American Lighting Association's consumer tips on lighting your home:
http://www.americanlightingassoc.com/info_lighting.phpYa, that is even funnier!
On a more serious note, I do support this action (we've used the energy efficient bulbs for years). This symbolic action will, if nothing else, remind us not to take our energy resources for granted.
I inadvertently participate in this almost every evening! I'M TIRED!!!
This is a pretty neat concept though. Thanks for sharing!
ok...so let's say I change my energy usage and start only using half of the energy in my home. Ok...so I've just saved half of my hydro/electricity, but then a new house down the street is just built and is now using the half that I just saved...how does this save the planet?
btw...I do conserve....to keep my costs down...nothing to do with saving the planet.
So let's say everyone conserves electricity, how does that save the planet when it didn't decrease CO2 emissions because a lot of the coal burning electricity plants are being shut down due to environmental reasons. So our electricity currently comes from nuclear, water and wind power....none of which creates C02.
People need to open up their eyes to the underlying reasons for "Global Warming" It's to create jobs, government money and lining corporate pockets.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against keeping the environment clean...I do everything I can to do my part in that.
Couldn't agree more, kel.
kel, I'm not a scientist or a politician (or a defender of Earth Hour or global warming), and I am not up on all the facts I'd like to be. But even if conserving our electricity didn't shut down a single coal plant, I do know that most of the ways we use our electricity give off heat. Heat that wasn't already in the environment. Heat on a global scale that I can't possibly imagine is good for our environment. Also, I would prefer to build as few power plants, of any kind, as possible and not to overtax our electric grid. And like you said, to keep our environment clean.
The idea of the guy down the street using your saved electricity is exactly the point I was making...if we all sit around and say, "well, no one else is doing it" then we give up and no one else will do it. I'm just as guilty of that as anyone. The only way we can make a significant difference in the way we treat this planet is if the majority of us do something about it. I believe the founders of Earth Hour were intending to make it visible that enough of us can do something about it if we want to.
This won't change anything... those that waste will still continue to waste (though they'll be quick to remind you that they
shifted their energy expenditures by an hour on Saturday) and those who live more modestly will continue to do so.
I respect all your opinions, and I didn't post this to convince anyone. Just to let anyone who hadn't heard but was interested, to know about it and do as they will.
I see the point being attempted. Sometimes I fall asllep with the tv on. Most of the lights are on in mothers house so she can see if she wakes up and goes to bathroom or the kitchen. I do not always recycle. I try to rmember to turn off the lights in the basement. I have one outside light on all the time, and it is one of the spiral thingie lights.
Some may then call me wasteful, irresponsible and noncaring.
I agree with Stephen, the whole thing is just so absurd. The only reason I try and use less electric is that they keep raising the rates.
If people would jut use their brains, chances are very good that we could completely eliminate most of the motivation for these sorts of silly feel good projects.
I have to agree as well.It is a fear campaign, in the process it brings about awareness and we should be aware of our planet....but.......
All the energy prices are going to go up regardless. Going green may help the planet, but it is also generating a lot of money for a lot of people.
One of the ways to change a behavior, or change the way of thinking is to motivate someone through fear.Of course you have to gain trust first, then convince a person.
Actually, I thought this was motivating through hope and community not fear. Guess we just see it differently.Well, it's 8:00 p.m. eastern time in the USA and my lights are off. Obviously, my computer is still on, but I'll keep the lights off for the symbolic gesture it is. Whether you believe in global warming or not, whether you believe your neighbor is doing his part or not, whether you think this is all a corporate greed issue or not, it doesn't hurt to turn off the lights for one hour of you're so inclined. I'm not sure I belive in global warming, but I do believe in doing whatever it takes to stop the horrible polluting of our world. Well it's after 8:00 pm here and I have changed nothing as far as my usage of electricty goes. I don't like having a huge electric bill, so I only have on what is necessary. Just not sure how my electric usage on any level is polluting.Man, I have to say, I'm pretty disapointed in some of you.
It's just a gesture, a passive way of saying "I DO care, and I know I can't change the world, but I'm willing to help in anyway I can"
That's all. It's really very simple. No matter how many times I read and re-read some of your posts, I just can't grasp why you're so hostile. No one's asking you to change your life. You don't have to give anything up.
And your attitudes are really very poor. I know you may not see the comparison, but I'm going to make it anyway. You sit and say "it doesn't matter what *I* do anyway" But not only are you wrong, you're a hipocrite(sp) You're the same people who scream that "one vote makes a difference"
So does one light.
So relax, turn the lights off, and enjoy the night sky with a loved one.
Really, would it kill you? I think not.
With all due respect, my family already lives modestly. My children raise hell if they're at someone else's house and they see someone throw a bottle or can in the garbage instead of the recycle bin (or, God forbid, they DON'T have a recycle bin!). We've been to the landfill so they see what happens when we throw things away. They understand how wasteful it is to leave a light on when it's not needed. We have a Kill-a-Watt monitor, which lets us see exactly how much $$$ is being thrown away when appliances are left on. I drive a manual-transmission 4-cylinder car, whereas most of my friends drive gas-guzzling (and road-clogging) SUV's. We walk to church; I walk the kids to and from school.
I'm not going to worry about a symbolic gesture, when most of the people who do that symbolic gesture will go right back to throwing their cans away and driving their SUV's all over the place.
So go ahead and be disappointed.
I'll leave a light on for you.
I didn't notice any hostility in any posts in this thread.
I, like Jasmine, already do what I can as far as keeping my energy consumption down(not because of "global warming" but becuase I don't like to pay more than I need to with my bills), and not littering..recycling...etc. Those things of course, need to be done.
How does turning off one light make a difference?
[QUOTE=JasmineRain]
P.S. I saw an AP article about the "Earth Hour" in Sidney, Australia, where they lit off fireworks and had lots of bonfires on the beach to celebrate. Way to combat global warming.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah,...those kinds of things really make me laugh
Next year I will turn off all my lights if I am allowed to do this instead.
Hot Air BalloonI have even read reports where staff were informed by email that special officers would be patrolling there office complex to make sure that the staff complied.
They would be shamed by having a black balloon attached to their office cubical.
I really would have no trouble turning off a light or two, it's what comes next that really worries me.
Divide and conquer.. The little office episode above is all about dividing ..
What next, black balloons for every house hold displaying there energy usage per annum .
Far fetched ,...................... or is it.
[QUOTE=Bodak]Next year I will turn off all my lights if I am allowed to do this instead.
Hot Air Balloon[/QUOTE]
Thankfully most of my neighbors kept their porch lights on during the "earth hour." Our neighborhood has had some crime problems in the past few years. One thing we learned through the neighborhood watch program is that criminals tend to avoid neighborhoods ablaze with porch lights.
[QUOTE=SnowOwl]
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