Earth Hour Take 2

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

They turned the lights off on the Lions Gate bridge here is Van. How the F is turning the lights off on a major dangerous bridge doing anything good??

Lets sacrifice peoples safety to make a statement and raise awareness!!

Would've been even better if all the cars turned off their headlights as well.

[Cowboy89]

Maybe this belongs in the confession thread but I confess that I felt a little warm inside when the Flames waited until after 8:30 to light up the lamp against Minny.

I also took things a step further this year and idled my car for half and hour for no particular reason.

[jammies]

I didn't even know it was Earth Hour. I also disagree with the "symbolism" of the event - are we supposed to be gladly awaiting the day when we can all live in the dark again, like every single society until the modern era did? There's a reason we use artificial light - NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE SUCKS!

See, "saving energy" actually ######s the process of weaning ourselves off oil/coal; as we run out of our current sources of energy, the investments in alternative sources become more and more attractive and more and more research is funneled into these alternatives. For me, we missed the opportunity back in the 50s and 60s to turn the entire grid over to nuclear and hydro, but whether it is nuclear or solar or wind or fusion or large farms of hamsters in wheels - or whatever kind of power runs the planet in 50 years - the sooner we end up in crisis and HAVE to change the sources of power, the better for the long-term.

To make an analogy, it's like having a crappy job and trying to figure out whether it's smarter to try to live within your means, or get a better job. I'm a big fan of the better job.

[Azure]

I wonder what happens to the power grid when all those people start using electricity at the SAME time.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Azure

I wonder what happens to the power grid when all those people start using electricity at the SAME time.

Given that it's based on time zones, not a lot. If the entire east coast turned every single thing off, then turned it on at precisely the same time, you might have some interesting things happen. But that's why we're in a huge grid. To prevent major problems from happening by massive current draws.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Jake

The problem with that line of thinking is that there was a time when the US and Canada were both developing nations. One of the biggest seasonal forests to ever exist used to be in what is now the United States... now its virtually gone... who are we to tell developing countries that they need to stop cutting down trees when we did exactly the same thing in the past?

And I never said that was right either.

Even if we told them, they would not stop. But to walk around preaching that empty gestures like earth hour are the solution is at best asanine and at worst harmful in a large scope, due to making people think fluff pieces such as earth hour actually do something.

Originally Posted by St Loomis

Why do you think those developing countries produce that much waste? To fill the demand for cheap manufactured goods in the developed world (ie Canada). Anyone who thinks that our society is not equally if not more responsible for the waste produced by LDCs is just fooling themselves. Mass consumption is to blame, not the countries you mentioned.

I'm speaking more in regards to the 'bringing up to speed' that these countries have been building towards in the last 30 some odd years. They are all playing catch up, with the same fervour western nations did during their industrialization periods. It's not always a matter of consumer goods or exports, it has alot to do with infrastructure overhauls and technology upgrades.

What makes it worse, is we're talking about overhauls for 2+ billion people and a collective land mass far greater than all densely populated areas of western countries combined. Add on top of that the abysmal state their infrastructure was in prior to industrialization, and you have an upgrade on a scale that far surpasses anything any western country has ever seen.

Get your head out of your behind, and take a look around. Buying cheap Chinese goods isn't helping, but their desperate, damn-the-environment to get it done fast as possible attitudes towards catching up with the west is hurting the planet far more than tinker toys, osh kosh b'gosh, and home electronics.

[CrusaderPi]

As always the goals of the people promoting this are laudable. Consume less, make the planet better, and being aware of the consequences of your actions are all very good ideas.

But can we come up with an idea that accomplishes something? It would be way easier to get behind that.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by CrusaderPi

As always the goals of the people promoting this are laudable. Consume less, make the planet better, and being aware of the consequences of your actions are all very good ideas.

But can we come up with an idea that accomplishes something? It would be way easier to get behind that.

How about enact sound, sustainable, environmentally supportive lifestyle choices on a daily basis? Those things actually do make a difference. You just have to get behind the concept. Recycle, compost, reduce consumption and wastage, support green consumerism when practical to do so, reduce energy consumption where practical to do so, etc. I'm not suggesting people should make any sacrifices here, just trim the fat and do the small things that don't cost anything in terms of money or lifestyle. Of course making the effort to recycle and compost is beyond the pale for many. However, if all the couch potatoes in the world got off their lazy butts and did even a minimal amount in their day to day lives it would make a far greater impact on improving the environment than the loony extremes advocated by the hard core enviro wingnuts.

Having expressed a green view, I will not retreat to my bunker to avoid sniper fire.

Edit: My post wasn't meant as an attack on your post ... I just wanted to expand on the part that I bolded.

[Grunt]

Originally Posted by CrusaderPi

As always the goals of the people promoting this are laudable. Consume less, make the planet better, and being aware of the consequences of your actions are all very good ideas.

But can we come up with an idea that accomplishes something? It would be way easier to get behind that.

I agree - I'm a bit late to this thread, and admittedly didn't read all of it as I'm pretty sure I know how most of the comments read.

I wasn't at home during Earth hour, and I shut my lights off before I left my house just like I do on any regular day. I normally don't leave lights on that don't need to be on even when I am at home as it seems kind of silly to do so, but I know that a lot of people don't even think about it, and just leave lights on because they don't even consider why it might be a bad idea - both energy consumption-wise, and the hit you may take on your own power bill each month.

I think it's equally silly to fight it by saying "ha! I'm going to consume even more, hippies!" It's not like that accomplishes anything either other than to give the middle finger to people who's heart is in the right place as far as going green goes.

I think one of the really good things about this is that it's a sign that people are starting to become more aware of these things. Sure, this particular act isn't going to do much, but at worst it's a good lesson for our kids to be mindful of these things (aside from the turning lights off on bridges bit ... talk about idiotic). People feel good about themselves and rally behind a good sentiment as well, which also isn't a bad thing.

Can we do more, with ideas that actually make a bigger difference? Obviously. I'd like to think that those ideas will come as a natural progression to more minor acts such as these.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by 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

I have joined that often ridiculed portion of society that never takes the Christmas lights down. They are on every day, and yesterday a visitor commented about having them on.They are solar powered though so I have not really cared, but today it seems my wife found the off switch on the solar box, so we won't look like total tools in the middle of august with out lights on.

[Incinerator]

The refs probably did their best to participate in earth hour last night, cutting those 2 disallowed goals' celebrations short in the dome.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by Grunt

I'd like to think that those ideas will come as a natural progression to more minor acts such as these.

I've been involved on-and-off with the environmental movement for almost 20 years now. Back in the 80s we were getting people to recycle their glass pop bottles and aluminum cans. It was something extremely simple. And then people started demanding that the government provide more facilities to recycle more.

However, I don't see this "Earth Hour" thing being particularly useful. I don't see how spending an hour in the dark is going to push people to demand that the powers that be ensure that we are consuming less dirty power and generate more clean power.

But as for "an idea that accomplishes something".... I'm not exactly what could be done to bring more people into the fold. That's why I have been involved on-and-off. I mean, the cowboy89's that idle their car for no reason whatsoever really takes its toll on ya.... The "Million Acts of Green" or the "One Tonne Challenge" were great, but they were preaching to the converted. To really impact the environment you really need everyone on board or you're just pissing into the wind. So the real challenge is reaching out to people who have not been involved in green issues before getting them started with something simple and let it progress. As to how one does that, I'm at a loss.... so I congratulate the WWF for their idea and the organization behind it, but I don't see it doing anything productive in the long run.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

As to how one does that, I'm at a loss.... so I congratulate the WWF for their idea and the organization behind it, but I don't see it doing anything productive in the long run.

Is the Citys new recycling program not a step in the right direction?? Make it simple for people and they'll do it.

[Superflyer]

If they want to have an hour with little energy consumption why not choose like 3:00 AM?

[Jake]

Everyone keeps saying "lets get some ideas that actually make a difference".... ideas like that are already being put into action (i.e. alternative fuel r and d), but there are no miracle ideas that will make a major difference in a short time.

Earth hour was not intended to have a huge impact. All it is intended to do is to get people to think about their energy consumption. How is that a waste of time like most posters are making it out to be? I agree it isn't going to have a major impact, but why all the disparaging comments? Its a small step in the right direction.

By the logic being used in this thread (why not do something more productive with their time?), I might as well stop recycling since re-using my ten or so cans per week won't really do much in the long run. Better use that time to invent a perpetual motion machine. Duh.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Jake

I might as well stop recycling since re-using my ten or so cans per week won't really do much in the long run. Better use that time to invent a perpetual motion machine. Duh.

I will have to completely disagree, everyone recycling their 10 cans per week makes a massive difference compared with everyone turning off their lights for a hour out of the year. That's 500+ million cans in Calgary alone.

[JohnnyFlame]

Originally Posted by Dan02

Is the Citys new recycling program not a step in the right direction?? Make it simple for people and they'll do it.

Exactly. I'm NOT doing any tree hugging crap until the evidence is piled so high it makes no difference anyway. But if you put a bin at my door I will fill it. If you put a car out that saves me cash(not costs more) from the moment I purchase it then I will buy it. If you develop solar panels that save me money then I will put them on my roof.

Make it simple and cost saving and no problem. But otherwise I'm not wasting my time or money when those who actually need to do something(governments, corporations etc.) either do zilch or look for ways to look like they are doing something like the hogwash carbon trading baloney.

[sclitheroe]

Here's my take:

I have no interest in cutting down on my energy usage in a truly significant way. I like my standard of living. I work hard for it. I pay for my energy.

I think probably 98% of the North American population feels the same way. What I want to see is time/effort/money/research and RESULTS put into improving the ecological footprint associated with energy production.

Reducing energy consumption doesn't fix the problem - energy production is not going away and its not going to stop growing as more of the world industrializes and population continues to grow, so find ways to grow production responsibly.

To that end, I support this effort by participating in Enmax's Greenmax program - I pay more for power generated by wind. I want my power, and I'm doing what I can to obtain the greenest power available to me.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Dan02

Is the Citys new recycling program not a step in the right direction?? Make it simple for people and they'll do it.

The recycling program is mostly good. However, the main impetus for it was not recycling per se, but rather the political poo-storm that was going to happen very soon when the city, at our current garbage accumulation rates, is going to need another landfill opened. This council has neither the ability nor the cajones to deal with the furious NIMBYs that will pop out from their crevices when this happens.

Therefore, they will try to divert as much waste as possible to recycling so that our existing landfills will last much longer.

If city council was truly concerned about recycling, they would've included compostable material, as anaerobic decomposition of organic waste in our landfills is the #1 generator of greenhouse gases in Calgary.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by Shazam

If city council was truly concerned about recycling, they would've included compostable material, as anaerobic decomposition of organic waste in our landfills is the #1 generator of greenhouse gases in Calgary.

Can you provide a link to this information? I find that interesting.