How did your Earth Hour go?

[kimmylavin]

My husband and I enjoyed it so much, we want to try to do it weekly.
It was actually almost 10:30 by the time we checked the clock, and by then we just went to bed.
But we'd been having such a great time, just talking and playing Monopoly by candlelight! :)

[sellitman]

1. My son listened to his iPod.

My wife and I just talked a bit.

My 2 others were in a school play and not home.

Nice and quiet. We talked this morning of doing that once a week.

[sharesunited]

2. I stubbed my toe.

:silly:

[NightWatcher]

3. we were grilling in the backyard by tiki torch-light. the house was dark

but the house is usually very dark since we dont run lights all the time. We have a cf bulb in every socket and only run lights in the room where we are currently seated- with one exception of a glowing nite light for the pets.

[lonestarnot]

4. Teenagers should be required to have 1 hour every DAY!

I certainly learned something re my son that I did not realize. He doesn't know how to handle quiet time. Serious. He grabbed his skate board and drove me nutty scraping and chalkboard scratching, then went out into the garage to dig out a white soccer ball to kick around under the street light which didn't go out. With 10 minutes left, he finally came in and sat down and complained about how bored he was. So it could have been better as this discovery was somewhat distressing. :crazy:

[Maestro]

5. We played Monopoly by candlelight too and

I raked in the properties. It was a good night for me. :rofl:

[cloudythescribbler]

6. there should be a ONE hour focus on difference b/t ineffectual gestures & IMPACTING environment ...

I was napping, but in any event, I always leave my bathroom lite on and I think my computer. But the whole thing, like the focus on silly micro issues (as well as many substantive ones) on Earth Day must ITSELF become a focus -- the politics of defying an ecocidal agenda and of various kinds of diversion.

Of course, many will insist that this sort of symbolic thing is 'small' but contributes in some 'small' way positively and can't do any harm. Problem is, every year we have this approach to earth day and no one ever gets around to the systematic underground suppression of effective ecology politics. I just sent a letter to the editor of the NY Times yesterday on the need for net NEGATIVE global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Let's see if it gets printed, or better yet, a column by a leading expert like Jim Hansen on the subject is followed by at least an editorial.

I have been an environmental activist now for 30 years, from antinuclear to forestry and ozone and the Greenhouse Effect. It is amazing how little SUBSTANTIAL progress has been made from when I canvassed door-to-door for, among other issues, a solar thermal retrofitting proposal for public buildings in MA some 29 years ago, along with being arrested at anti=nuclear demos at about the same time. This 'darkness' hour type thing has been done for 30 years accompanied largely by the politics of ineffectual posturing.

Note that not only were Reagan and W HORRIBLE for the environment, but Clinton wasn't very good AT ALL, and faced little for it, and it has hardly been mentioned how weak the Clinton years were throughout this hotly contested campaign.

Everyone wants to LOOK good, but what people really seek are those GOLDEN PARACHUTES (which aren't available to those who seriously rock the boat).

[lonestarnot]

7. Green jobs creating solar panels for residential housing on a mass scale thereby reducing costs and

I would go for that in a heartbeat!

[taterguy]

8. Parachutes are only useful on flying boats

Nice post otherwise

[kimmylavin]

15. You're so right.

And thank you for pissing all over those "small" things that people try to do...

Of course you're right, and bigger things need to be done.
Can you not even appreciate those trying to do something - anything - in their own small way?

Jeez...

[question everything]

9. I am sorry, I was not aware of this until I read, late last night on DU

I have stayed away from CNN and MSNBC, have just watched the regular network news (ABC) and if the local paper wrote about it - I missed it. While we were out during the early evening hours, we were back home by 8:00 pm..

Will remember this for next year.

:(

[DesertRat]

10. When we turned the lights back on...

there was a scorpion crawling across the wall. :scared:

[Subdivisions]

14. Sleep well.... n/t

[Irishonly]

11. We have a wonder front porch

When the weather is warm enough we have an earth hour daily. We take the dogs for a walk and then sit on the porch and enjoy the quiet. My husband and I are both disabled so we try not to use a lot of electricity anyway. I have always enjoyed the quiet of no TV and would rather read.

[thecrow]

12. Darkly :)

Actually some night lights were still on, but I have been turning the lights out religiously for months now. My electricity bill has dropped a lot!
Congrats to all who participated!
:grouphug:

[Subdivisions]

13. It was really really dark. n/t