Saturday, March 29... Earth Hour!

[silverweb]

This was posted a couple of months ago, but it needs a new thread to remind everyone. Spread the word!

http://www.earthhour.org
http://earthhour.smh.com.au
http://www.thestar.com/earthhour

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2,00 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney’s energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for one hour.

On March 29, at 8:00 pm, millions of households and businesses worldwide will power down. The City of Toronto has pledged to participate, and The Toronto Star is heavily promoting the program, in an effort to encourage significant participation from residents here.

Visit earthhour.org and sign up to participate!

[prairierose]

1. Here is another kick and rec..

:kick:

[silverweb]

2. Thanks!

Pay attention, everyone: THIS Saturday, 8 p.m. your local time!

:kick:

[greenman3610]

3. mixed emotions about this

I'm all for more awareness about GW.
But I wonder if this doesn't just amplify the denier's
meme of "dealing with gw means we'll freeze in the dark".

I happen to think we can make changes that will
preserve our lifestyles, while using less energy, and
change to non carbon sources, without major dislocations
in what we are used to in services.

[kestrel91316]

4. Hmmm. I have candles and kerosene lamps and plan to READ

a little for an hour.

The freezing in the dark meme sure gets old. And if people HAVE no alternative lighting and entertainment they need to get off their LAZY butts and get it. A flashlight and deck of cards would suffice. But I suspect some of you will miss the point.

[silverweb]

6. Ditto that.

No kerosene lamps, but candles and these cool little watch-battery-operated LED lights that are pretty adequate, even for reading.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. But how eco-friendly is your 'alternative lighting'?

I did a calculation on the CO2 from candles v. CFL bulbs in LBN: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3247617&mesg_id=3248884

If the calculation is right, a 20W CFL bulb for an hour is equivalent to a quarter of an ounce of candle wax. Kerosene lamps may be more efficient at producing light than candles, but they're still burning fossil fuel, and producing significant amounts of heat while doing it. And the batteries in flashlights are going to be less efficient than mains electricity, too (if it's an LED flashlight, that's one efficiency gain, admittedly; if it's an incandescent bulb, it's even worse). If you want a real point to this, it should be to use no illumination for an hour, not to use inefficient but portable methods.

[silverweb]

5. How did humanity survive before electricity?

You mean there was no civilization, no culture, and no comfort to be found anywhere?

You mean we have no choice but to use up and waste the resources we have right now because we can't adapt or modify or invent or survive otherwise?

Awareness is the beginning of thought. We need people to THINK.

[silverweb]

7. We're talking about tomorrow night, people.

Sign up and get ready!

:kick:

[BeFree]

8. A moment of darkness, eh?

And while you are doing that moment, remember all the air pollution you have helped create, all the wildlands and wildlife you have helped eliminate, then after that moment go back and do it all again.

Good luck, and thanks for the free fish.

[silverweb]

9. Umm... okay.

If that made any less sense, I'd be really confused. Reading the actual sites in the OP might help you.

[RubyDuby in GA]

10. Kick!

Did you cross post this in GD and the Lounge?

If not, please do so. I'm doing this tomorrow night and more probably would if they knew about it.

Thanks!