I am writing about Earth Hour today, to give a little reminder that between eight thirty and nine thirty this Saturday night we are all invited to shut down our use of electricity as much as possible. http://wwf.ca/earthhour/
While it is a symbolic gesture, it is also a nudge to consume less energy in an age when we are so dependent on fossil fuels and electricity to make our lives "go." It's also my way of letting readers who are teachers tell us what is happening in schools to promote this. In the last couple of years I have been impressed by the emphasis in school boards.
This past Sunday we had a note in the bulletin and I brought Earth Hour to people's attention. Last year we chose not to use projection on the following Sunday morning, lowered the lights, didn't use the organ. This year it will be Palm Sunday and our needs will be a little different.
Will you observe Earth Hour this year? Are you wondering why we bother, given the fact that it is a "drop in the bucket?" Have you made any choices at home which have changed your levels of consumption of electricity? Are you resigned to waiting until your children leave home?
6 comments:
Here's what's happening at our school. Board wide we are to turn lights, computers etc. off between 10:00 and 11:00, however, we have a special presentation that was booked long ago coming. So, we will do it between 2:00 and 3:00. We are a brand new school and in desperate need of some landscaping. So... our students will be planting seeds between 2:00 and 3:00 and hopefully come May/June these plants will be ready to add to our empty flower beds.
My daughter has not mentioned anything happening at her school in Bowmanville, however we did get information about taking part on Saturday night.
As a family, we will turn out the lights and our daughter loves to play charades. An hour of charades can be a bit much, but the quality family time is always good. Maybe we will plan our summer vacation....
As you said, earth hour is a symbolic gesture. I just wish it had more of an impact on people. I hear so many people talk about the importance of the environment, yet these very same people admit to idling in a Tim Hortons drive-thru for 10 or 15 minutes, doing excessive loads of laundry, and not picking up garbage or recyclables during a walk(on the rare occasion that they choose to walk rather than drive).
It is depressing to see so few people who really care. I need a second green box to put at the curb, yet as I walk to work, more than half the households don't even have one green box out!
Maybe what I need to do is live on an island in the south pacific where I don't need to pick up the litter or breath in the fumes of idling automobiles!
There...I'm just getting down from my soapbox.
Yes, we are participating in Earth Hour at the church. Our youth group is coming to the church from 8-10pm and the lights will go out from 8:30-9:30. I have also gotten the town involved, since I happen to have a town counsellor in my household and a couple in the pews; and they've gotten town council to advertise the date and turn off the town sign for that hour.
As for what we do in our household, besides constantly reminding everyone to turn off the lights, some of the ways we save energy are to not use the dishwasher, we dry our clothes on racks, we use the energy-saver light bulbs (although I've heard they aren't that easy to dispose of), and we have insulated as many windows as possible to save on heat and air conditioning costs. We are always looking for ways to save energy.
And yes, I admit to feeling frustration with those who don't seem to care. I feel sometimes that people who don't recycle are living in the dark ages. I wish more people cared, although I fear at times that it's too late. (That's my pessimist side shining through.)
Like at Nancy's house, our kids get quite excited and the prospect of a no-power hour and have us light one gazillion candles and play games. We have kept up some of the different "earth friendly" habits we began with the first earth hour, and the focus each March brings "light" to new ideas to try.It is important.
This from reader Bill via email:
I WII ENDEVOUR TO OBSERVE EARTH HOUR ON SATURDAY.I HAvE TRIED TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION.I BURN FEWER LIGHTS AND THE FURNACE IS SET REAL LOW AT NIGHT SO IT SELDOM COMES ON.
I always appreciate hearing about the practical choices you are making for Earth care, as well as your passion. And it's everyone from those with young families to a senior citizen such as Bill.
Johnny, those islands in the Pacific might welcome us, but they are concerned that rising water levels due to climate change are going to sweep them away!
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