Tomorrow night - Saturday March 28 - at 8.30pm is Earth Hour 2009, where people are urged to switch off their lights for one hour to show their support for action against global warming.
We will be participating as a family, as we have for the previous two years, but I have to admit that I am rather ambivalent about the whole project. On the one hand I love that it is a project which everyone in the wider community can participate in and that it draws widespread attention to global warming.
On the other, I have heard way too many media interviews in the last few days, where people are talking about how they will be participating and how 'green' they are because they always recycle and they've changed their light bulbs to CFL's. Forgive the cynic in me, but the Climate Change situation warrants far, far more attention than just turning lights off for one hour. Last year DH took the dogs for a walk out of curiosity, to see if any of our neighbours were participating in Earth Hour. Of the very few who had turned their lights off (and were actually at home), nearly all were sitting and watching their large screen plasma TVs in the darkness.
I know, I know, "something is better than nothing" and all that. It just makes me sad that - in general - people are willing to take the easy path and switch off their light for one hour, once a year, but won't take pen to paper and write their local member of government, and/or the Federal Environment, or Climate Change ministers. Real change won't happen unless we exert real pressure, consistently, on our elected representatives.
Perhaps instead of promoting Earth Hour via live blog posts or Twitter feeds, the Earth Hour organisers could suggest using that computer time to email your local representatives or ministers, join a local community action group, convert to 100% GreenPower or buy a second hand bicycle on eBay. Better still, they could promote turning off your computer and TV as well as the lights! What a shocking concept ;-)
As for us, the kids should be tucked in bed by then, so we'll spend the hour with everything switched off, probably enjoying a nip of homemade limoncello and watching the skies to see if we can see any more stars than usual (although it's forecast to be raining). Anyone doing something interesting for Earth Hour?
16 comments:
Hi :) love your blog. As a family we will be doing "Earth Hour" We did it last year. We turn the power off at the mains. Nothing on for the hour. Our 13 year old will have a candle. I am really amazed at how quiet it is with nothing running. We will sit outside and enjoy the night stars.
Regards Corrine
Last year we turned off everything but the fridge (no sense saving power by wasting food!) and we'll be doing that again. What I noticed around the traps was that people had to think about how they'd fill in their time without lights and tv. Perhaps lights aren't the issue - turning off the screens is the hard part!
We will do Earth Hour too, inclduing the plasma screen, but I agree with you. I fail to understand why every single office building in the CBD has every single light on every single floor when it is quite obvious that no-one is in them. Turning the lights off for one hour a year is just not enough, what about every night and all weekend.
We'll be participating, but we're time-shifting to earlier in the evening so the kids can be involved (normal bedtime is 7:30!). We'll play games by candlelight and talk about why we've turned out the lights.
I am very new to this movement and I honestly can say this is the first I have heard of it. I am excited! My son will be in bed so it will be just me and the dogs since my husband will be at work. I can't wait to sit and just light a candle and read a book and enjoy the silence. I wish I had homemade limoncello...mmmmmmmm
We will be camping - so definately no lights and maybe just a camp fire. I am going to make sure i turn everything of at the wall before we leave..
That made me laugh...the thought of all those families so proud of themselves for joining in - but sitting there in the dark watching TV!
Cheers,
Tricia
Why only do it once a year? Why not go power free for an hour a week? I don't think it's going to hurt anything or anyone doing that. Food won't go to waste by simply turning the fridge off for an hour, just make sure you don't lose any cold air from it by opening it during that time. Add a couple of bottles of ice to keep it cooler if you like. Really should be filling excess space in the freezer with frozen bottles of water, helps with keeping it cooler.
One of my husband's sisters lived with only generator power for several years, they only ever ran the generator in the evening until they went to bed. Food that was in the fridge would be put in the freezer when the generator was turned off and would still be cold in the evening when it was transferred back to the fridge to prevent freezing. Even running the generator for that little time was costing them $5 a day, they've now gone solar at less of a cost than having electricity put onto their property, they live 10 minutes drive from the road and would have had to put their own power poles in.
I recently bought myself a new bag, on it is written this quote "Be the change you want the world to be" (Mahatma Ghandi). I found that very inspiring and now carry it around for others to read - I am hoping it inspires at least one more - one a day would be wonderful.
Just looked at the bag and found I missquoted. The real quote is "Be the change you want to see in the world".
Just had a thought, someone should put an ad together to be run on telly during Earth Hour. Something like:
It's Earth Hour
We'd love it if no one saw this ad.
or more to the point
It's Earth Hour
TURN THE FRIGGING TV OFF!
But really all Earth Hour is asking is to turn the lights off, how far you want to go is your own choice. Just as it's your own choice to follow Earth Hour.
We live over in the US and let the kids stay up late to participate in Earth Hour. We want them participating. We turn off all electronics and use candles to play card games. This year we talked about all the vampire electronics and will be unplugging as well as shutting off. How sad that people actually shut off the lights and then watch their big tvs.
Hi Corinne,
Thanks :-) Enjoy your star-gazing tonight!
Hi Kate,
Oh I agree, it seems that people just don't know what to do with themnselves if they have no TV to watch! Heaven forbid they actually talk to each other or interact as a family.
Hi Deb,
Oh yes, and it's not just the lights on in every office on every floor - it's every computer and every peripheral! What a shocking waste.
Hi Darren,
Hey, that's a good idea :-) Only, um, it's still daylight savings time, so it won't be dark here any earlier than about 8pm ;-)
Hi kimchi,
Good on you for joining in - I'm sure you can a find a suitable alternative to limoncello to help you enjoy your candelit book :-)
Hi Tricia,
Hope you are having fun camping and that the rain is holding off for you!
Hi belovedgoddess,
Yes, Melinda of One Green Generation ran a Challenge last year after Earth Hour, to continue turning off the lights/power at least once a week, which I participated in for several months before we kinda ran out of steam (and diligence). And Ghandi's quote has to be my all time favourite - isn't it great? Very inspirational.
Cheers, Julie
Hi Kelly,
Great idea, I love that you are involving your kids and explaining why you are doing it. That's the sort of thing that *will* make a difference in our future.
Cheers, Julie
Hi Julie,
We are going to be turning everything off during Earth Hour too. We don't have any activities planned, probably just sit outside and look at the sky.
When I hear all the stats about how much energy was saved during Earth Hour, although I feel glad about what we "saved", I mostly feel mad about how much we are wasting for the other 8759 hours of the year.
all the best,
Hi Julie,
At our home we have a no electricity day every Wednesday. Only the fridge and freezer is left on and other than that nothing for the whole 24 hrs. I love it and so do my kids. Hubby not home during the week so easily done. lol. We have loads of board games and card games that we do and until dark they are outside enjoying the space that they have. They invent games and play with the animals. We have sandwiches at night and loads of candles. That always does the trick. They love them. We are also in the process cutting our phone bill. On a Monday we have no Wii, DS, Computer TV etc as well. More interaction and helping with sibling problems. One of my kids has disabilities that makes it hard for the younger one to get on with the older so this is also helping them. We share so much more about our days at school, home or is I worked that day. I love it. We have been doing this for about six weeks now and are not going back. We love it!!!!!
Cheers Damaris
Hi all.
Earth hour is supposed to be making people more aware but as others have said many people participating don't translate that awareness into more practical applications during the year.
In Melbourne it seemed not many businesses participated at all, and many people didn't know it was on. In addition the Grand Prix was on this weekend....doesn't really make sense.
Thanks for a great blog!
Hi Child of the New Forest,
Oh I so agree. Like you, I see the difference in the skyline around Sydney harbour for an hour and I feel sad for the waste the rest of the year...
Hi Damaris,
What a fabulous idea! Love it, love it, love - I might 'steal' it ;-)
Hi Georgina,
What a shame :-( I noticed it had gotten heaps more publicity this year too...
Cheers, Julie
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