Earth Hour 23/3, pointless or no?

[missyburd]

So this Saturday, 8.30 - 9.30pm, the world is being requested to shut its lights off for Earth Hour (http://www.earthhour.org/page/about). Although it's a nice gesture, what on earth (!) can it hope to achieve? Apart from raising awareness (in 152 countries over 9 years) of the blindingly obvious, that we are using up fossil fuels at a depressing rate :(

This guy sees no point in it.

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/earth-hour-s-counterproductive-symbolism-by-bj-rn-lomborg

Do you? Will you be participating in the biggest show of concern for the environment? Or are you scared of the dark?

Ready. Steady. Discuss!

[granty92]

i didn't know of this but may aswell, its only an hour

[Owenski]

How does that work then with time zones, is it supposed to be a band of domestic darkness that follows the night around the world?

We wont do it but not through protest, just ignorance. Ive got things to do and if I could do them in the dark then great... but I cant so the lights remain on. Besides they're all switched off around 10.30 when i go to bed anyway then spend all night off so what can the world hope to gain by me sitting in darkness for that hour?

Be interesting to know if during this earth hour how many participants turn to a battery charged device.

[Ceri JC]

Nothing against those who choose to indulge in it, but I consider it a pointless gesture and won't take part.

I am personally far more interested in raising awareness of all the good man made lighting does and why, on balance, it's a good thing.

I genuinely believe getting safe, cheap, affordable man-made lighting available is going to help (in the long run) to solve a lot of Africa's problems. See here: http://flexiwaysolar.com/

[dizzyblonde]

Honestly?

In this country only the hippies will do such a thing! I very much doubt that a great chunk of the world will even know of this odd gesture, as they don't read, have a tv, internet etc .

I switch all my lights off at night. The only light in the house is the rechargeable night light we have next Olis bed.


Questions which hippy thought of yet another useless thing to do for the sake of mankind
"biggest show of concern" :rolleyes:

[DJ123]

Pointless. When i was working in Woking a couple of years ago, they had an evening of darkness, street lamps off, all shops/offices had lights off where possible etc. There was me sat in a betting shop-20+ TVs' on, many many lights, air con, 10 computers and so on. Completely counteracting everything others on the town were doing.

[Spank86]

Time to get the Christmas lights back out.

[Sir Trev]

Almost as pointless as the "boycot BP for a week" suggestion.

[Griff-SV]

Pointless, bit of a chocolate fire extinguisher plea imo

[LankyIanB]

From http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/03/21/dont-turn-off-the-lights/

"Earth Hour teaches us that tackling global warming is easy. Yet, by switching off the lights, all we are doing is making it harder to see.

Electricity has been a boon for humanity. And the cozy candles that many participants will light, which seem so natural and environmentally friendly, are still fossil fuels—and almost 100 times less efficient than incandescent light bulbs."


Way beyond pointless..... and then some....

[Sir Trev]

Electricity has been a boon for humanity. And the cozy candles that many participants will light, which seem so natural and environmentally friendly, are still fossil fuels—and almost 100 times less efficient than incandescent light bulbs."




You could always use tallow candles to avoid parafin-based ones. Of course they smoke like hell and make a mess and both of them are quite a fire hazard to numpties not used to them...

[LankyIanB]

Beeswax candles would also be another alternative - they're still carbon based though, same as the tallow. It's still producing CO2 when you burn them....

Not that it matters, CO2 is the best plant food there is..... if you want lots of lovely healthy plants do your bit increase the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere!! As for anthropogenic global warming..... load of balls (IMHO), probably not the best weekend for anyone to be arguing the case for it......:grin:

[Spank86]

Beeswax candles would be carbon neutral though as long as they don't destroy the hive.

[Biker Biggles]

I think the point is that it is symbolic rather than something which will actually save significant CO2 emissions.Most political movements in recent history have made their mark through gestures rather than force.Im thinking that when women chained themselves to railings,jumped in front of horses,or went on hunger strike,it did'nt force anyone to give them the vote,but they got it anyway through the consiousness raised through their actions.Turning lights off would be a similar thing perhaps.

[L3nny]

global warming..... load of balls

It's not called Global Warming anymore it's called climate change. Looking out of my window is proof enough that something's going on.

Whether it's caused by us or just a natural thing is up for debate but something's happening!