"Earth Hour" on March 29, 2008 at 8 p.m

[SWA]

I just saw a commercial on tv about what they called "Earth Hour" where you are supposed to turn your lights off for one hour from 8 to 9pm. (Not sure if that's Eastern time or what?) But, at first I thought it was a spoof off of those old emails where folks spread the word to do something, like turn your headlights on if driving during a certain time of day or turn your porch light on at a certain time of night.

I don't know what this was about as I only caught a small portion of the commercial, so don't know what you are supposed to be representing by turning your lights off for that specific hour, or if it's just a spoof commercial or what?

Has anyone else seen this commercial? Do you know if it's for "real" or what it's about?

 

[Equuisize]

I saw it on NBC this morning......

It said something like the 'large' electricity users

in the greater Seattle area were participating....

Like the Space Needle, Qwest Field - anyone may

join in to show solidarity.

So as you're as far away from us as possible, I'm

guessing people, going to participate, must do it

at 8 PM your own time.....

Be interesting to know when it's all said on done

exactly how much electricity was saved!

 

[SWA]

Thanks.

Ok, so this is about supposing to save electricity for an hour?

 

[Charley]

ok, but electricity can't be stored or saved...the plants will still be operating...what is the benefit?

i don't get it

 

[RainSong]

I caught it on the radio. They said not just lights, but ALL electrical appliances; at 9pm in any given time zone.

Since I was mostly asleep when I heard it, my first thought was: "What are all those people going to do in the dark with no tv/computer?" ... and then "I don't wanna know."

 

[Matt73]

It's really taken off here in Canada. I think it's 8pm est. on Saturday.

ok, but electricity can't be stored or saved...the plants will still be operating...what is the benefit?

i don't get it

Huh? The point is if everyone turns out the lights for an hour, it saves energy. Hence, Earth Hour.

 

[mininik]

Earth Hour

....because Earth Day was just too hard.

 

[Equuisize]

Will this help explain?

http://www8.earthhourus.org/

 

[Charley]

Ok, I read the info on the site. It still doesn't save energy as the power plants are not turning back the energy available for that hour and the energy does not get saved or stored. It reduces the demand and your own personal power bill (very little) but does not save any energy. And no where on the site does use the words "to save energy".

I think their goal is to show people how to cut back....but we are already doing that here on a daily basis. So for me, cutting the lights off for an hour annuallly makes no sense in "saving energy".

I just don't get the "hour". We already know that we can get by without power for an hour just by all the times the power goes off due to storms or accidents....and we don't like it then.

 

[Alex]

Google is in on it to!

 

[nootka]

mininik's post leads me just one more step down the path:

I suppose the "hour" of support is all fine and dandy, but it's like a crash diet when we all should find better ways of eating day to day, day-in-day-out, and modify our overall lifestyle to trim the unnecessary away.

It's a nice gesture, but more has to be done, more often, in smaller increments to make a noticeable effect.

A little planning and care can really go a long ways towards making a difference in almost any venue.

Energy is one of those, and while noone is suggesting anyone suffer without the necessities, it's interesting to me how many people find it necessary to drive a long distance to go and buy just one little item, something silly like a latte or rent a video, when there are alternatives, and a trip can be better planned (have a friend pick up the latte/vid for you, or ?).

Leaving lights on for no reason, and over-heating homes, etc. etc.

We've all got choices, and I think I did my "Earth hour" 24/7 for at least one solid week back in December (we were without power for 7 days following the hurricane force winds that blew through here, and it was very cold after).

What's great about this idea is that it gets people to thinking, but what's bad about it is that they feel they've done their part by powering down for just one hour. There's more to be done.

Editing to add that I myself am not the best I could be in this respect. I am always thinking of ways I can do better, and trying to do just that.

Liz

 

[tifflunn]

It has taken off her really strong- we are in too!

 

[Leeana]

Google turned the lights off as well apparently