Earth Hour Take 2

[Slava]

It went over so well here last year that I'm surprised there wasn't already a thread for this!

Earth Hour (when you are supposed to turn the lights out for an hour) is Saturday the 28th. Here a blogger has started a "Human Achievement Hour" where you turn the lights on instead....
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...lights-on.aspx

[Swarly]

I'll be doing the same thing I did last year, ignoring this completely and be doing whatever I happen to do at that hour when it comes.

[missdpuck]

If I turned my AC off for an hour it would only have to work harder when I turned it back on.

[rubecube]

LOL. Hooray for the increased energy consumption levels when everyone turns the lights back on an hour later simultaneously. People are such sheep.

[Otto-matic]

and once again I will be skipping Earth hour to watch the flames game. Nice try Canucks

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

and once again I will be skipping Earth hour to watch the flames game. Nice try Canucks

It entertained me last year where they were all telling us how energy use was down a rather minor amount in most major cities, then it comes to calgary where it was higher, thats what you get for scheduling it during a Flames game. Somethings are just more important

[Daradon]

I'm very environmentally minded, do my best to conserve water and electricity, recycle, and general lower my impact and footprint as much as possible. Much more than the vast majority of people I talk to.

But even I don't get this one.

I really don't see how it helps at all. Maybe if it were an hour every week, or a series of hours during a week so the powerplants get a chance to slow down (as they showed that the skies can actually clean themselves fairly quickly when given a chance, this was observed during the large scale blackouts and brownouts along the great lake area a few years ago) I might be tempted to give it a try.

But really, the effect is so minimal, it's just one hour of conservation a whole year (which many people don't even participate in). It doesn't actually help clean or renew anything (as far as I have read).

It's probably just more for awareness, and I'm already aware so... gonna skip this one.

[Madman]

1 Earth Hour
8759 Gluttonous Energy Pig Hours

Go Green!!

People who participate in this, somehow validate it in their own mind and feel good about themselves for being some sort of eco-heroes 1 hour a year are ridiculous boobs. But hey, as long as you can yammer on and on and on to your equally sheepish colleagues the next day, who am I to call BS?

I'm no tree hugger, but I do like to think I conserve energy as much as I can around the house and don't need some special hour to redeem my past energy sins. If people were even just a little more aware of what gets left on or what doesn't need to be on every single day, then this whole glamour media hour wouldn't need to be thrust upon us.

[Peanut]

The worst are the posters all over the buildings and the elevator news downtown, all self-congratulatory "We're going to be participating in Earth Hour!!"

[albertGQ]

I do my part by not putting up Christmas lights on my house. Well, the biggest and only reason is because I am too damn lazy

[Sainters7]

Let's hope they don't schedule it during the Battle of Alberta again, like last year...

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Peanut

The worst are the posters all over the buildings and the elevator news downtown, all self-congratulatory "We're going to be participating in Earth Hour!!"

Of course it used no extra energy printing those posters.

[iggnuef]

Originally Posted by Madman

Of course it used no extra energy printing those posters.

not too mention the trees it was printed on!!

[Eddie Bronze]

In a city that is 30 years behind the times when it comes to their recycling program, I really don't know how you can expect any less than for Calgarians to completely ignore something like this.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Eddie Bronze

In a city that is 30 years behind the times when it comes to their recycling program, I really don't know how you can expect any less than for Calgarians to completely ignore something like this.

Huh? I agree with the idea of the recycling program being far behind (although some studies suggest that the process of curbside recycling burns more energy than it saves), but it's not a relevant argument here. The people who participate in Earth hour are just blind sheep buying further into a green-washed marketing strategy that is ineffectual and dishonest.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Eddie Bronze

In a city that is 30 years behind the times when it comes to their recycling program, I really don't know how you can expect any less than for Calgarians to completely ignore something like this.

Since Rube already retorted succinctly, I'm just gonna say that this is a stupid post. Why don't you tell us how you really feel, Eddie? I'm sure all the beatniks in Vancouver and San Fran are going to turn out their lights. Those guys will sure show us redneck Calgarians how to save the Earth by smoking pot to candle light on a Saturday night.
I do my share by taking my empty beer cases to the green bins (I know, it's so hard to do) and turning off the water while I brush my teeth. As for tonight, I'll be too busy watching the game to turn off the electricity. Maybe I'll even wait until Earth hour to cook dinner.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Eddie Bronze

In a city that is 30 years behind the times when it comes to their recycling program, I really don't know how you can expect any less than for Calgarians to completely ignore something like this.

At least this city has a recycling program. How many major cities dont?

[browna]

I'll be at the Flames game, and make sure I turn out the lights before I go.
There.
This is as good a place as any to slide this in...maybe in honor of Earth Hour, Expedia can finally change this brutally ironic flash ad that they have on their pages:

Eco-friendly hotels doesn't mean Eco-friendly guests I guess...jackass has both bed side lights on and his laptop runnning while he's snoring away.

[PsYcNeT]

So why don't they organize an 'Industry Hour' where all the worlds industries and companies turn off all the machines and go out for a smoke break?

That would save a hell of a lot more power and resources and other things (air/water/land pollution) than a bunch of people saving a few kW/h

[SteveToms]

Come on Calgary, let's double our increase from last year, show those carrot eating, communal toilet using hippies...