Earth Hour

[Bellyhungry]

Are you planning to participate in this event tomorrow night by leaving lights off in your house between 8 and 9 pm?

Are you doing anything above and beyond to show your support to this movement?

[Golden Bear]

We regularly use as few lights as possible and keep our electricity consumption to a minimum, so there would be no point in our participating in Earth Hour, which is an awareness-raising deal, anyway.

I think they botched Earth Hour, too. It's an hour too late. They should have done it between 7 and 8, when there's enough light that you don't need the lights on, but enough darkness that some might ordinarily have their lights on, anyway.

Putting it from 8 to 9 means that it WILL be dark, and many people will just say "screw it" rather than sitting in the dark for an hour.

[VBall]

We signed up for this but I do agree with GB that if it was an hour earlier, it would of been better.

What I did find ironic is that in our office building there's an ad for Earth hour running on a LCD TV (wasn't there before) for the last week or so. Isn't that kinda counter-productive? :confused:

[cdnputter]

I'll be sleeping to further help save energy, my own in this case. :rofl:

[corchard]

We're signed up. As an added benefit I won't be tempted to watch the Leafs suck. I may go outside and practice bunker shots in the snow.

[davepratt]

We're signed up. As an added benefit I won't be tempted to watch the Leafs suck. I may go outside and practice bunker shots in the snow.
I don't imagine there will be many TV's off in Quebec though. Big game for the Habs.

[BowmanvilleJim]

I will be turning on all my lights to compensate for all the power not being used. I don't want the system to fail when the hour ends and there's a large load put back on the system.

[golfnguru]

Are you planning to participate in this event tomorrow night by leaving lights off in your house between 8 and 9 pm?

Are you doing anything above and beyond to show your support to this movement?

No.

I think these kind of things are stupid. Like it will make a difference.

[Ems]

we have a birthday dinner, so our only contribution is making sure everything's off when we leave the home :$

I think they purposefully chose 8-9 when it's dark to make more of an IMPACT to the people who participate, it's not to really save energy, it's an awareness initiative

[braithwaite]

I think its kind of stupid too
when you think about it we all do it everyday, when we go to sleep for like 6-8 hours each day, just everyone does it at a different time so really one hour isn't gunna do much.

[Big Shooter]

No! :eek:
(maybe next year, I just started recycling a few years ago...takes me time to prioritize!)

[sharkhark]

I am participating by turning my speaker volume down from 11 to 10:$

[LowPost42]

Idea good.

However, it's also like the ads for 'quit smoking, win a Prius', and 'drop your electrical consumption by 500kWh, get 10% back!'

Great for those who are smoking and sucking the juice, but for folks like me who don't smoke and are already pretty energy concious (becuase I'm also a cheap *******), these do nothing for me. To reduce my electrical usage by 500kWh, I'd have to do something inane, like sit in the dark for an hour. ;)

[goshawk]

I'm doing my part by shutting off the electric ball return on my putting mat.;)

[Weirfan]

we only ever have lights on if we are in a room, we leave no outdoor lights on at nite and other than a nite light in the bathroom for the kids......thats it

My wife and I will be at the Leafs game tonite. ( I guess I bought her the tix for too late a game) ........lights are already out for them:cool:

[dekker]

I can't stand these feel-good projects. Everybody walks around with a stupid grin on their face as if they actually did something worthwhile.:cookoo:

If you listen to the town mayors and CEO's.they sound like kids in a schoolyard, "I'm gonna turn out more lights than you can".
STFU already and practice it year-round like you mean it!

[caddishack]

Yea I'm gonna shut all the light s off get in my gas guzzling SUV and take a drive for an hour. What a load of crap!!!!! You know if everyone conserved and I mean really conserved everything. the demand for electricity would go down and those buggers would raise the price deming that it costs more to produce less!!!

[Golden Bear]

I'll turn the lights off, but since it will be dark I'll need something to help me see. We've got three microwaves. We'll run those puppies for an hour.

[Merlot]

There are seriously problems with the environment and this is kinda hokey. I hope we take this more seriously in the future and sacrifice some 'corporate profits' for the future.

Whether or not you believe that global warming is caused by fossil fuel burning, it would be silly to believe that it is not accelerating the process somewhat..

It would be pretty coincidental that the poles are melting and temperature is rising steadily since the start of the industrial revolution. With China and other countries becoming huge users of fossil fuels relatively recently, it would be even more ignorant to discount the effects of som much carbon being released into the atmosphere. Its been awhile since the last ice age.

The world becoming truly green can't hurt. It's the right thing to do for our kids and grand kids. We know its bad regardless of global warming but we keep buying bigger and fast cars etc...

If that means paying more for goods and services so be it. A "growing economy' and lots of money won't be very enjoyable living in a inhospitable environment anyway.

[Big Shooter]

I'm going out for dinner at 730pm, THEY better NOT turn the power off, or it's gonna be a really RARE steak!!! :nono:

[Merlot]

I'm going out for dinner at 730pm, THEY better NOT turn the power off, or it's gonna be a really RARE steak!!! :nono:

Tartar specials for th ewhole hour!:rofl:

[Big Shooter]

I can't stand these feel-good projects. Everybody walks around with a stupid grin on their face as if they actually did something worthwhile.:cookoo:

If you listen to the town mayors and CEO's.they sound like kids in a schoolyard, "I'm gonna turn out more lights than you can".
STFU already and practice it year-round like you mean it!

proof:

Miller said it's too early to determine if Earth Hour will be an annual event in the city, but he says the initiative will have long-term effects.
"I think what Earth Hour is showing is that Canadians are ready and they understand it's not always about serious things when you fight against climate change -- you can have a lot of fun at the same time," he said.
The mayor says Toronto has been a world leader for 20 years with its conservation programs...:rolleyes:

[rbaker]

Everyone needs to do there part, the Earth Hour is an awareness campaign.
On its own worthy of that.
Do we have to shut the TV off too?

RB:confused:

[goshawk]

Everything's off but the 'puter!

[BowmanvilleJim]

You have to stay in contact with the world.

[goshawk]

You have to stay in contact with the world.
You're absolutely correct. Afterall, there's no tv to watch and I'm sure not going to a Leafs game!!:D

[rbaker]

We went Dark at 5 pm just to make up for the TV on. Some ignoramus have everything lit up in our condo complex. I just surveyed. its 75 out 25 on.

You're absolutely correct. Afterall, there's no tv to watch and I'm sure not going to a Leafs game!!:D

[golferboy]

All lights are off.....just candles...no tv....but I am surfing wirelessly on TGn...does that count?

[dks_34]

I was reading by candlelight - all lights, tvs & computers were turned off.

Who thinks there will be a baby boom in about 9 months! ;)

[Big Shooter]

Was at Canyon Creek for dinner, and they informed everyone they would be turning "most of the lights off from 8-9pm", we ate dinner with candles, and a few 'mandatory' emergency lights. Wasn't bad at all, except I couldn't really tell what cut of steak I had!! :D:eek:

[The Troll]

Wasn't bad at all, except I couldn't really tell what cut of steak I had!! :D:eek:

Filet de last place. :eek:

[Big Shooter]

Filet de last place. :eek:

Well, I ordered a Filet, and it was not-the-best I've ever tasted, perhaps that's why I don't go to Canyon Creek as much as I used to....
...btw, we tried The Keg first, but there was a 45 min. wait, whereas Canyon Creek could seat us right away. Coincidence? :confused::hush:

[Bjmcisaac]

Well, I ordered a Filet, and it was not-the-best I've ever tasted, perhaps that's why I don't go to Canyon Creek as much as I used to....
...btw, we tried The Keg first, but there was a 45 min. wait, whereas Canyon Creek could seat us right away. Coincidence? :confused::hush:

Honestly, why would you go to either for steak?? :hush: :help: :confused: :confused:

[Big Shooter]

Honestly, why would you go to either for steak?? :hush: :help: :confused: :confused:

Friends picked it.

[n4sir]

I always use the least amount of power, it's only common sense. This earth hour is nothing more than a political move. How about everyone spending an hour to try and develope a new power source that 's green friendly. As long as the world population increases the power useage will continue to climb. The world desperately needs a new renewable green friendly power source. :)

[Golden Bear]

Okay, folks, now that it's over, what did we accomplish?

Is the world a better place? Are people suddenly going to change their consumption habits?

Or did the hour come and go and everyone switched their lights back on and will continue to use energy just as they did prior to 8 p.m. last night?

I think we know the answer.

The good news is that from what I heard on the Weather Network last night, energy consumption in Ontario was down 5% from normal during that hour. Woohoo!

[Big Shooter]

The good news is that from what I heard on the Weather Network last night, energy consumption in Ontario was down 5% from normal during that hour. Woohoo!

How would THEY know?
I was talking with friends over dinner, and we discussed HOW all the news outlets will be scurrying around to find out HOW MUCH energy was saved...like it was a BIG NEWS story!? :rolleyes:

[Golden Bear]

How would THEY know?
I was talking with friends over dinner, and we discussed HOW all the news outlets will be scurrying around to find out HOW MUCH energy was saved...like it was a BIG NEWS story!? :rolleyes:No idea. They said it last night. I haven't heard anything since.

But the Weather Network knows all. Don't question them. Especially not now. We're waiting for golf weather. They've got the power to take it away from us. Don't mess with them. Just don't.

[grass connoisseur]

Personally I'm done with Earth Hour listen to this......
last night I get ready and lit all my candles and that but then the problem was keeping my son busy cause he's likes watching TV or playing video games at night so I tell him we're going to do a puppet show and we lie on our backs looking up at the ceiling and I'm doing shadow puppets etc. with the flashlight. after 10 minutes I start hearing a hissing sound and then I feel something on my arm and ntoice black marks on the carpet- thoought one of the candles was spitting embers or something- then I realized my flashlight was leaking battery acid down my arm onto the carpet!
Just glad it didnt get in my or my sons eyes

moral of this story-stay away from the 40 batteries for 9.99 special at Walmart.

[Carlton]

moral of this story-stay away from the 40 batteries for 9.99 special at Walmart.

I believe cheapie batteries from Walmart made the news a while back. Turns out that some would explode or overheat etc.

[caddishack]

hope you threw them into the trash!!!!! lol

[corchard]

You're all missing the point. This exercise is to get people thinking of conservation. 1 hour out of 8700 isn't going to make any difference to your yearly electricity bill.

[goshawk]

You're all missing the point. This exercise is to get people thinking of conservation. 1 hour out of 8700 isn't going to make any difference to your yearly electricity bill.
You're absolutely right. And that's the reason why I think to do some good the planet should set aside an hour in the early evening to do this "lights out" exercise every week! Can we put up with this on a weekly basis...I'm thinking so.

[dekker]

I was reading by candlelight - all lights, tvs & computers were turned off.

Who thinks there will be a baby boom in about 9 months! ;)

I think this was a catholic conspiracy!
and Trojan Brands missed a big coup by not having a special glow in the dark model.:rofl: :rofl:

[Golden Bear]

You're all missing the point. This exercise is to get people thinking of conservation. 1 hour out of 8700 isn't going to make any difference to your yearly electricity bill.One hour out of 8700 is going to make people think about conservation for exactly one hour. It's not going to have any lasting impact whatsoever.

Anyone truly interested in conservation is already conserving. The people who thought the lights out thing was a neato idea are going to go back to their old ways rather quickly.

Now, a few blackouts and brownouts might get people thinking about conservation. But no one's going to start thinking about it because they were asked to voluntarily conserve.

[Big Shooter]

Now, a few blackouts and brownouts....

...ahhhh, fond memories of THE BLACKOUT, we were golfing at Copetown Woods that day, we were perhaps among the LAST people in the area to find out about it, since we teed off about 20 minutes after it happened! :cool:

[Bellyhungry]

You're all missing the point. This exercise is to get people thinking of conservation. 1 hour out of 8700 isn't going to make any difference to your yearly electricity bill.

Agreed. I think this shows that if everyone is doing their part, collectively the individuals can make an impact.

Well, I ordered a Filet, and it was not-the-best I've ever tasted, perhaps that's why I don't go to Canyon Creek as much as I used to....
...btw, we tried The Keg first, but there was a 45 min. wait, whereas Canyon Creek could seat us right away. Coincidence? :confused::hush:

Who the heck go to these chain restaurants and expect good steak?

[corchard]

...It's not going to have any lasting impact whatsoever...

Yet you and I are talking about it and lots more are reading about it.

...Anyone truly interested in conservation is already conserving...

Yet there is always more that we can do. Canadian Geographic this month had an article on solar energy in Ontario. The key to the article is that it is now economically viable for a single home. It got me thinking of the feasability of solar panels on my roof.

[VBall]

It is ultimately an awareness program. The key being teaching our children about energy conservation. They talk and promote this at school which in turn, hopefully, will teach our children the importance of energy conservation.

Much like other similar programs, I don't think what happens the day of matters as much as what is taught through it.

[Golden Bear]

Yet you and I are talking about it and lots more are reading about it.
True, but we're talking about whether or not it was a stupid exercise. I don't know that anyone's talking about ways to conserve energy in the aftermath of the event, and I don't know that anyone's going to "change their ways". They didn't after the big blackout in 2003, so why would they now?

Unfortunately, if we want people to change their consumption habits, we have to legislate them to do so. Humans simply aren't self-sacrificing enough to make sacrifices for the greater good -- not in numbers large enough to matter, anyway.

[LowPost42]

Then there's always the argument that we can't do much to save the environment until we get China on board. :eek:

[dekker]

becoming aware of a problem is only the first step and is along way removed from effectively doing something.
What pisses me off is the manner in which we are conditioned to accept the high cost of doing something positive. In fact not only is it dubiously beneficial, or only partially implemented, it is shoved at us under a penalty clause.
For instance:- the legislated energy saving light bulbs contain mercury, and cost money up front to dispose of, as do a number of other electronic purchases. There is no guarantee that the money collected is put towards the actual disposal. You are paying for their long term storage, somewhere.
The problem is never solved, just shelved and the fee is just another tax grab.
The same approach started with tires, batteries and oil paint.
Why does organic food cost more? Does manure really cost more than phosphates? Or is it part of the inherent cache of cost accepted trendiness?
Why do smaller portions of anything cost more proportionally?
Why does it cost more in production energy to make something more efficient?
when did our sense of sophistication become equated with complexity, when in fact it should ascribe the simplicity of function and form?