Posted on 03/27/2008 8:06:21 AM PDT by JulianaJohnson
Earth Day. Live Earth. And, now, Earth Hour.
The latest bright idea from the country that gave us "Crocodile Dundee" is to have everyone across the globe turn off their lights for an hour at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Apparently, a bunch of neo-Luddites in Sydney did this last year and it made them feel good about themselves, so they've decided to give the rest of the world a chance to achieve a similar sense of self-worth.
Because, if we are being honest, Earth Hour, like its forefathers, is not about environmental policy--it is about social networking and self-importance.
Earth Hour is for those consumed with monitoring their carbon footprint and confused about why they do it.
The desire to be relevant and to have a positive impact on the world is a good instinct. But it's lost in the self-involved nature of exercises like Earth Hour.
The Gandhian ideal "to be the change you wish to see in the world" requires thoughtful, measured action toward an end bigger than one's self.
Earth Hour, by contrast, smacks of desperation for self-actualization.
Rather than creating a platform for compelling, fact-intensive arguments about eco-threats or creative ideas for green energy, Earth Hour is another in an endless series of symbolic events that define intergalactic participation in "something" as an end in itself.
I understand that there are those who believe that rapture is upon us because, over the past 100 years, the temperature on Earth has gone up a little less than 1 degree Fahrenheit.
That, some may argue, is the higher calling to which Earth Hour is responding.
But, even accepting the premise, is the Earth Hour response on point?
(Please go to http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/red-032708-proft,0,6335659.story to read the rest of the article)
(Excerpt) Read more at redeye.chicagotribune.com ...
I predict the next morning the papers will be full of robberies around 8 pm the night before and everyone will be scratching their heads in wonderment.
I’m going to turn off the lights and watch our 52” Plasma tv that night. Maybe even a Wii game. I think Mario Kart will be out by then.
D@mn. I hate the thought of having to bring the Christmas lights back out in March...
Funny thing is, if ^everyone^ actually did this, I would postulate that the amperage draw affecting the nearby powerplant at 9:00 would make up for all the “greeny-ness” made during the previous hour.
Oh, and tell the author they aren’t Luddites, they are “watermelons”.
Oh no, I’m sorry. 8pm on Saturday? (BTW is that EST or Sydney time? Because if it’s Sydney time we won’t have any lights on anyway. That’s 8am for us)
Anyway at 8pm on Saturday, it’s the “Kids Choice Awards” on Nick and the whole family will be huddled around to watch Miley Cyrus perform and James Marsden present.
There won’t be a light on in the house.
I hate to sound like a Green Party member - but this idea isn’t all that bad.
Let’s admit it. We do waste a boatload of energy by leaving lights on when and where they don’t need to be. You should see my office after everyone leaves for the night. Desk lamps are still on, calculators are still on and a number of office lightas remain on all night.
It’s wasteful.
As Republicans and conservatives, we should be interested in conserving energy and providing a better place for our children and future generations.
Not to mention that lower electricity use results in lower electricity bills. And the less I have to pay, the better it is for me!
Though we don’t need to go to the extremes that the enviro-whackos are going, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to be more cognizant of what we are wasting in terms of energy.
I think I will exercise my right and turn all mine on.
How many new pregnancies showed up in Sydney after this stupid liberal stunt?
I promise to participate! 8:00 PM, Saturday in Sydney will be 5:00 AM Saturday Eastern time. I promise not to have my lights on before 6:00 am on Saturday. I hope everyone appreciates this great sacrifice on my part. I also gave up broccoli for Lent.
Ha, we just packed ours up 3 days ago!
Good stewardship is a good idea. Yes, don’t waste.
Thing is, most of these self-described “environmentalists” are among the most earth-harming, as their genuflections are only possible because they live at the top of the most luxurious and wasteful culture (don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying my part therein) ergo something as petty as turning off the lights for an hour on one day strikes them as sacrifice.
Want to make a difference? turn the lights _on_ for only an hour a day - every day.
She has a fan over the dining room table, (to cool the food--ugh), but no one has ever to my knowledge, put a ceiling fan where it would make the most sense to me: in the kitchen.
Maybe they could start a bonfire out of old tires and roast spotted owls.
I agree. That's why capitalism is the key to finding better energy sources and more efficient devices. Not the government regulations the leftists want.
Oh my, has this guy nailed it!!
Dang, whatta guy! ;o)
We still have our icicle lights hanging in the windows of our kitchen. We turn them on every night, and on dreary days. Helps keep our spirits up through the MA winters, and dim start of Spring.
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