Powering down for Earth Hour?
| Image: iStock | Published: March 14, 2008
Earth Hour, if you haven’t yet heard, is coming to Vancouver. At 8 p.m. on March 29th, here, and in a total of 24 cities around the globe, people are powering down and spending an hour in the dark and quiet, without their TVs, radios, lights, and computers.
The international event, started 11 years ago by the Sydney chapter of the World Wildlife Fund, bills itself as “a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced.” They mean global warming. I heard a debate about Earth Hour on CBC Radio a few weeks ago, and Vancouver opinion seemed split into three equal camps: 1) those that think it’s a trifling gesture, a stunt; 2) those that think it’s pathetically small, given the environmental straits we’re in; and 3) those that think it’s useful if it pushes us to consider the broader impact of our daily power consumption.
However you look it, there isn’t much doubt that Earthhour.org has one of the Internet’s creepiest background Flash animations: human names—recent Earth Hour registrants, presumably—raining down, slow-motion, on a darkened earth.
Two questions:
1) Are you taking part in Earth Hour?
2) To which camp do you belong—the Deniers, the Not Enoughers, or the Not A Bad Starters?
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Comments
The last time the power went
By Anonymous, March 20, 2008 at 09:47The last time the power went out, our neighbours (whom we had never met) invited us over for a candlelit game of cards. We spent three hours laughing our butts off and loving it. We all realized that this night wouldn't have happened had our routines not been interrupted by sudden darkness. We've decided to deal back in for Earth Hour - we're having an 'emergency rations' dinner followed by a rousing game of cards. We'll likely go over the one hour mark...and enjoy every extra minute of it.
Where would we be without
By jbucher, March 20, 2008 at 15:49Where would we be without happy accidents like that? Well, right where we usually are, watching CSI, I suppose. I think it's important to approach these admittedly minor sacrifices with a sense of adventure and fun. Nice story--thanks!
John Bucher
Editor, Granville Online
I agree with those that say
By Anonymous, March 18, 2008 at 16:39I agree with those that say it's pathetically small. The resources that WWF uses to promote the event (stunt) could be redirected toward more meaningful gestures - like petitioning governments to increase tax incentives for people or corporations choosing greener options - and raising taxes for those who don't.
Naysayers miss the point. If
By Anonymous, March 18, 2008 at 16:34Naysayers miss the point. If all we were doing was Earth hour once a year they may have a point. BUT this is just one of many ways to raise awareness. Those who go against should keep in mind that even a slight direction in the right way is better than the naysayers' slight gesture against. Baby steps still get us there eventually...though not quick enough for some...still better than doing nothing at all.
And so, Anon., what will you
By jbucher, March 19, 2008 at 09:21And so, Anon., what will you be doing for that hour?
John Bucher
Editor, Granville Online
Earth hour is more about the
By Anonymous, March 18, 2008 at 15:54Earth hour is more about the impact that it may have on the individual than it is about the impact on the planet. The hope is that it will raise people's awareness and that they'll practice more restraint in the future. I'm not sure that one hour is enough - but it's a start. I'd love to see more people taking on a 24hr challenge (or more). But that's me.
Going to bed early for Earth
By Anonymous, March 17, 2008 at 16:46Going to bed early for Earth Hour is most delicious when it includes a partner. I can't think of anything more fun than fumbling around in the dark with my lover. We're more than happy to do our part in saving the planet :)
It's nice when your
By jbucher, March 18, 2008 at 09:07It's nice when your altruistic drives can coincide with, er, your other ones. More planet-saving for everyone!
John Bucher
Editor, Granville Online
In 1996 (if I remember
By Anonymous, March 14, 2008 at 22:50In 1996 (if I remember correctly) I witnessed the complete blackout of Kelowna after a main transformer blew. It was a surreal experience; the entire population was blanketed in complete darkness as they scrambled to find flashlights in the middle of preparing dinner.
I was driving downtown at the time. Traffic came to a standstill as drivers tried to adjust to no traffic or street lights. I made my way to a side street and headed to the top of Knox Mountain. There were about a dozen vehicles already there.
We all started talking about how quiet it was. The ever present hum of electricity was eerily silent. The streets of the city were mapped out below by the steady stream of head lights. No other lights could be seen in any direction. It was awesome.
I think the power was out for about three hours; I was parked on the mountain for about half of that. And when it finally came back on it was greeted with loud cheers from all of us on Knox. It was better than any fireworks show; when grid by grid the city lit back up. The return of the hum was deafening.
The impact of that experience has stayed with me. The amount of power that a city uses is beyond excessive. It's crazy how frivolous we are with energy. I'm not sure that I belong to any of the camps that you mention (or maybe it's all), but any chance to raise awareness is worth the effort. Does it make a difference? Only if we're willing.
Sounds incredible. It must
By jbucher, March 17, 2008 at 10:10Sounds incredible. It must stand as a reminder, too, of how precarious, and how dependent on electricity, the existence of most Canadian cities is.
And it's true about our frivolousness with energy. I wonder if it isn't due, in large degree, to its cheapness. (Check out Vancouver's hydro costs compared to other Canadian, American, and some European cities.)
John Bucher
Editor, Granville Online
I am going to try to
By Anonymous, March 14, 2008 at 17:03I am going to try to remember to take part in earth hour!
(I suppose if everything goes dark, well, that will be a good reminder.)
It should be interesting to see how many people take part ...
What are you going to do?
By jbucher, March 17, 2008 at 10:12What are you going to do? Me, I was thinking of just going to bed at eight, which I could afford to do, but I don't think that accords with the spirit of the event.
John Bucher
Editor, Granville Online
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