In case you're not familiar with the movement, it's basically a global warming, climate change, environmental awareness movement where people and municipalities agree to turn off or dim the lights from 8:30-9:30 local time.
It's not really to conserve electricity, since it doesn't really have that effect - it's more just an awareness thing.
I'm hoping I can avoid the um... mishaps I've had in previous years, like the time I walked straight into the open door of the dishwasher. Had a huge knot on my shin for months after that one - thanks a lot, earth!
Anyhow, my candle is lit (you'll note I did that BEFORE turning out the lights this year) and I'm preparing to turn off the computer & enjoy the darkness for an hour.
Happy Earth Hour, y'all!
Not to be a downer here, but I don't do earth hour.
ReplyDeleteWell actually we do earth hour every day, my husband turns off his computer every night at 9pm when he goes to bed :)
I just wonder how many folks do earth hour and then go on about their business, or maybe I'm being cynical.
Marieann
Wow... going to bed at 9pm - sounds like a dream to me! :-)
DeleteAnyhow, I certainly hope people don't think participating in earth hour is "doing their part" because it really isn't doing anything! I mostly just enjoyed watching the cats puzzle over the candle for an hour!
You know I never even thought to entertain my kitties with a candle. I bet you had a good hour.
DeleteOK I'm doing kitty play time next year :)
Ha! Well, it's not exactly like this was something I had planned. I simply lit the thing and they all came running to investigate. Apparently it was fascinating, and so were the moving shadows it created!
DeleteI'm not at all sure about Earth Hour. Like Marieann, I can't help wondering if people take part, then feel they've done their bit, and carry on as normal. Either that, or people who are already pretty Earth-conscious take part. However, I did take part this year because I was thinking about artificial light, and how important it is, yet how much we take it for granted. I spent an hour in the dark - had a shower (water heated by firewood and flowing under gravity, so not cheating) in the dark, which was actually much the same as having a shower in the light, then sat by the wood stove looking at the flames, which I do quite often anyway. Although I had a bit of a think about the things I couldn't do with the lights off - reading and writing, mostly, though I thought about washing the dishes and decided that probably wouldn't go very well - I'm not sure I achieved much.
ReplyDeleteHa! It was a lovely evening here so I decided I'd go outside and sit on my deck. But... it was like 10 times lighter outside than inside since a bunch of my neighbors have huge lamps that light up their entire yards! So much for communing with the darkness! Guess I'll have to camping for that!
DeleteI think I saw people participating in our park yesterday, as I saw some of those candle-lit lamp/hot air balloon things being lit last night.
ReplyDeleteThought it was pretty cool, myself.
Ooooo... that would have been fun! Much better than basking in the glow of a bazillion security lights!
DeleteNoooo! I missed it! This is the first time in years that I haven't participated in Earth Hour. However, after reading the comments I feel better since every hour is earth hour at my house. I try to live as lightly as possible on the earth. But I do like being there in spirit with the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteI almost missed it too - just happened to catch a mention of it on the evening news. There's a little video of some highlights on this page if you're interested:
Deletehttps://www.earthhour.org//earth-hour-2015-highlights
I too have mixed feelings about Earth Hour but mostly because I don't think it's really caught on the way Earth Day has. I am beginning to think that those who don't care about climate change or getting away from the consumer mindset will ignore things like Earth Hour and Earth day.
ReplyDeleteSo did you have any injuries this year?
I did turn off my lights and lit a candle because it's for my own awareness that gives me time to reflect on how I can get by with less electrical stuff in the scheme of wanting solar on my house for as cheap as I can go.
Btw, I really dislike your widget showing the carbon in the atmosphere. :-( We seem to be staying at or above 400 all the time now.
Injury-free this year... hooray! I agree that those in the denier camp will probably ignore this sort of stuff, but I also think that anything that can put a mention (however brief) of the words "global warming" or "climate change" on the evening news is a good thing. Lord knows the media won't do it of their own accord!
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