Calgary energy consumption up during Earth hour - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Incinerator · 03-31-2008, 11:13 AM

I did my part, I didn't watch the game at home, but I still watched the game at a place that would've had the TVs on anyways lol

ken0042 · 03-31-2008, 11:13 AM

What they should have done was have a "Get a rebate so that your CFL bulbs will only cost you 50¢ each" day, or weekend. Then tell me what kind of change was made.

Or "turn your furnace down by 1 degree and put on a freakin sweater" day. Something realistic and attainable.

SeeGeeWhy · 03-31-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken0042

What they should have done was have a "Get a rebate so that your CFL bulbs will only cost you 50¢ each" day, or weekend. Then tell me what kind of change was made.

Or "turn your furnace down by 1 degree and put on a freakin sweater" day. Something realistic and attainable.

Isn't that how Father's Day started?

Slava · 03-31-2008, 12:38 PM

I personally wish that people/Calgary did more for this event. Some of the pictures were pretty cool actually, and the cause is a good one.

That being said...I was at the game. I plan to have my own turn out the lights hour though...running most nights between 11-12pm and say 6-7am!

HotHotHeat · 03-31-2008, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter12

Yeah, I agree. It's petty and equally irrational.

The point is that this was a stupid idea, in the same way that the Live Earth Concerts during the summer were stupid. People need to face the reality of the situation...And these little gimmicks just make us feel good about ourselves even though it doesn't nothing to curb the problem.

I know, raising awareness is good and all. But how about limiting household energy? You only get a certain amount of energy per day per number of people in your house or something...When you run out your power is turned off until the next day. It sounds stupid but is it any different than gas in a car? If you run out of gas you have to go get more. Just thinking outloud...but these "SAVE THE PLANET!" feel good agendas are just plain stupid.

Resolute 14 · 03-31-2008, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I don't really get the whole "ha ha ha, I used even more, so take that Suzuki" attitude. I'm sure we all realize we live on the same planet. This consumption for the sake of consumption affects you too. Knowingly, gleefully wasting isn't really much different than, umm, wetting the bed because you are mad at your wife. Sure it makes her uncomfortable, but you'll be suffering too.

WRT Suzuki specifically, a nutbar zealot is a nutbar zealot no matter what the cause. People like him will never capture the true attention of society becuase they live so much in their own world that they have completely lost touch.

For the most part, I suspect people making such comments, myself included, were simply being facetious. That being said, I can't say I was too concerned about changing my normal routine because of some silly PR gimmick.

The Yen Man · 03-31-2008, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

I know, raising awareness is good and all. But how about limiting household energy? You only get a certain amount of energy per day per number of people in your house or something...When you run out your power is turned off until the next day. It sounds stupid but is it any different than gas in a car? If you run out of gas you have to go get more. Just thinking outloud...but these "SAVE THE PLANET!" feel good agendas are just plain stupid.

Isn't that what an electricity bill is for? You pay more if you consume more. That's exactly like gas. Gas I run out, I just fill it up again. I'm sorry but I don't think people would go for electricity limits.

But I do agree that these "Save the Planet" campaigns are just a waste of time. Those concerts were pointless, because the sheer consumption of energy while the concerts were going on defeated any message it might have sent. Those things were just an excuse for people to party, nothing more, nothing less.

Flames89 · 03-31-2008, 01:25 PM

I am actually surprised with the reaction on here. I recognize we are Calgarians, but man - how "too cool for school" can you get? Then again, human-induced climate change is still a "fringe" theory on this board.

We shut off our lights. Why? To show support. Since I don't have any better ideas on how to save the environment, reduce pollution, etc, and since I am not going to be jumping into a dinghee to fight off whaling ships, and since I am not going to sell my car and give the money to charity, and since I am not going to quit my job to join the green-forces out there, and since I am not going to write a letter a day to every politician voicing my concern - I am going to support a group through a gesture. A token gesture that actually does save some energy, but moreso was a worldwide gesture of support of the environment.

You have to be pretty jaded to say "I am not doing that because I think it is:"
a) "stupid"
b) "doesn't help, so why bother"
c) "is useless marketing" <-- uh, marketing implies commerce, non?

I understand that the word didn't reach Calgary all that well, so it may have seemed a little "lefty/hippie-ish". Here in TO, the Saturday papers' front pages were all devoted to talking about the worldwide phenomenon of Earth Hour. And believe me, I would still ahve watched the game, but I would have changed my routine just as a gesture. A vertiable wink or nod to the energy crisis and to everyone else around the world that shut off their lights.

Government won't start "doing some real tough work" until the people tell them to... and that is what was attempted ...

http://www.thestar.com/SpecialSectio...article/407290

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_7883449.htm

CaptainCrunch · 03-31-2008, 01:43 PM

I broke into my neighbours houses and turned all of their lights on.

HotHotHeat · 03-31-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fotze

I think the problem is that no one connects there actions to an actual cost. If it cost you $2 to have your living room light on, you would actually think about turning it on, and if you did, how long it is on. I have no idea how much things I use in my house cost me. A load of laundry, I have no idea how much that costs in water and electricity. If the temp outside is -10 how much does it cost me to keep the house +22 as opposed to +19? I have no clue how much it costs. If people could see an immediate benefit (yes to themself because people are selfish) they would act quicker and more consistantly.

Exactly. Put a power monitoring system in every kitchen in Canada...A little LCD screen that shows how much power you're using, and would report a change in consumption the minute you turned something on or off. Even better would be to tell you WHAT is using power and how much power it's using. Sort of like watching an activity monitor on this here macbook. I can see which programs are sucking up my memory...If I'm not using one thats bogging down my computer, I close it. Seems very logical to apply the same system in a house.

Slava · 03-31-2008, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Exactly. Put a power monitoring system in every kitchen in Canada...A little LCD screen that shows how much power you're using, and would report a change in consumption the minute you turned something on or off. Even better would be to tell you WHAT is using power and how much power it's using. Sort of like watching an activity monitor on this here macbook. I can see which programs are sucking up my memory...If I'm not using one thats bogging down my computer, I close it. Seems very logical to apply the same system in a house.

A company like Enmax should be all over this idea....they could sell them (people would buy for sure), and people would save energy as a result.

peter12 · 03-31-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Exactly. Put a power monitoring system in every kitchen in Canada...A little LCD screen that shows how much power you're using, and would report a change in consumption the minute you turned something on or off. Even better would be to tell you WHAT is using power and how much power it's using. Sort of like watching an activity monitor on this here macbook. I can see which programs are sucking up my memory...If I'm not using one thats bogging down my computer, I close it. Seems very logical to apply the same system in a house.

Totally. Do the same for water and attach a dollar value to your consumption level.

HotHotHeat · 03-31-2008, 02:01 PM

Errr I Trademark post #32 in this thread.

habernac · 03-31-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

A company like Enmax should be all over this idea....they could sell them (people would buy for sure), and people would save energy as a result.

they'd make less money, so you know this will probably never happen.

Slava · 03-31-2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habernac

they'd make less money, so you know this will probably never happen.

I see what you're saying here...but its part of the value add. I think that people will just be more aware of the power they use as opposed to using a lot less.

Azure · 03-31-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Exactly. Put a power monitoring system in every kitchen in Canada...A little LCD screen that shows how much power you're using, and would report a change in consumption the minute you turned something on or off. Even better would be to tell you WHAT is using power and how much power it's using. Sort of like watching an activity monitor on this here macbook. I can see which programs are sucking up my memory...If I'm not using one thats bogging down my computer, I close it. Seems very logical to apply the same system in a house.

No way! Earth day is MUCH better at fixing the problems we have with power consumption.

Just kidding. Personally I think you have a fabulous idea.

brownstown24 · 03-31-2008, 02:14 PM

I think everyone has missed the point here....when was the last time this discussion took place at CP? Or at the office water cooler on Monday morning? Its like a horrible ad on tv with some crappy jingle with it....your not talking about it because you like it...your talking about...period. AWARENESS is the key with these types of campaigns!

Azure · 03-31-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownstown24

I think everyone has missed the point here....when was the last time this discussion took place at CP? Or at the office water cooler on Monday morning? Its like a horrible ad on tv with some crappy jingle with it....your not talking about it because you like it...your talking about...period. AWARENESS is the key with these types of campaigns!

Stick around more.

There are regular threads about this on CP.

brownstown24 · 03-31-2008, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure

Stick around more.

There are regular threads about this on CP.

Thats not the point, the point is that "Earth Hour" has brought the discussion to the forefront again, thats exactly what they hope for!

RougeUnderoos · 03-31-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter12

Totally. Do the same for water and attach a dollar value to your consumption level.

It sounds like a hell of an idea, but would anyone really change? We already do pay a bill and we already know that if we use less the bill will be smaller, but most of us don't bother/don't care. Certainly a metre would be more "immediate" but we'd probably ignore it after the gimmick fades off.

Part of the problem (I think) is that things really are too cheap.

Take natural gas for example. I use it to cook, heat water and heat the house. If the bill is a hundred and fifty bucks well ouch, but I got a lot out of it. If I crank my thermostat down 5 degrees, put on a sweater and cut the length of my shower in half then maybe, maybe my bill is going to be a hundred bucks. So a month of "sacrifice", small as it may be, saves me 50 bucks. Big whoop.

If I'm only doing it to save money, I'm not saving much and I'm stuck wearing a sweater and having a short shower. It's probably not worth it. If I recognize that there is something bigger than saving a few bucks at stake, maybe I will.

There was a commercial on this weekend with The Hated Suzuki and he tells some guy that he's going to save 150 bucks a year if he turns off his beer fridge and the guy starts running around the house turning everything off. 150 bucks? Come on. If you want a beer fridge in the garage, saving 150 bucks over the course of the year doesn't mean squat. Probably wouldn't even notice on your bill, but you'd notice that you have to go into the house everytime you want a beer, so the fridge gets plugged back in.