View Full Version : Earth Hour - Switch Off For One Hour
Bill Fernie
28-Mar-07, 15:07
I have often wondered if a switch of for specific periofd could make a difference to energy and perhaps this campaign for Saturday 31 March to switch off for one hour at 7.30pm. This one started in Sydney and has web site. They obviously did not envisage it reaching out of their area as the postcode needed to sign up does not take UK ones. I used 123 and it accepted my registration.
I have posted the information I received to day at http://www.caithness.org/fpb/2007/march/earth_hour/
What would be interesting would be to hear what any of you do in the hour if you decide to switch off electricity on Saturday evening. A few suggestions are in the article.
Let us know if you do something - walk the dog. Take the family to the park, beach and so on.
Obviously the one hour is small compared to overall usage in a year but you never know it might make the point more than all the meetings and talk shops as they say on the Earth Hour web site http://earthhour.smh.com.au/
Maybe a power station can be reduced to lower output for an hour. Maybe if we reduce consumption we can save money - with rising prices we certainly need to think more about what we leave switched on.
Let us know your thoughts on this one - good idea or gimmicky!
Bill Fernie
TBH I think it's a nice idea but ultimately gimmicky. It makes sense to unplug unused devices on standby all the time - when I first arrived in this place (which originally had a pre-pay token meter) I was astounded at how much power a stereo (ghettoblaster) and phone charger ate up just for sitting plugged in unused. Now I make sure that I don't leave anything on standby that doesn't actually need to be.
I think this is a more reasonable approach and makes us aware of an ongoing situation rather than doing our bit for the planet for one hour, once a year.... besides there are things like fridges and heaters that either need to be on or would be too unpleasant not to use on at 7.30pm of a chilly March evening.
Probably a better approach would be to use the specific time to go round the house looking at all the electrical devices which are plugged in on standby which don't need to be, and examining the ways that we are living which are destructive to the planet and ways we could be less destructive - use up less of the Earth's resources.... perhaps with a couple of well drawn-up lists as to what we should be looking for and thinking about.
Sorry to disagree, I fully agree with the sentiment but not so sure it's practical.
I first went ...WHAT!!!!........but on closer reading, all you are expected to do is not use your lights for an hour....No big deal then.... I have signed up and where it asks for city on the registration form I put Edinburgh Scotland and it was accepted and as Bill recommends a post code of 123
See you all in the dark on Saturday
Lets have a giant game of murder in the dark!!!
LOL [lol]
On a serious not it sounds like a good thing to do - we'll probably go to the pub for a few hours!!!
I don't think that the act of switching off the lights and the amount of energy that action will save is what is important. What is important is thinking about what you are doing, the consequences of energy consumption and making more present the need to change habits.
Bill Fernie
28-Mar-07, 17:04
TBH I think it's a nice idea but ultimately gimmicky. It makes sense to unplug unused devices on standby all the time - when I first arrived in this place (which originally had a pre-pay token meter) I was astounded at how much power a stereo (ghettoblaster) and phone charger ate up just for sitting plugged in unused. Now I make sure that I don't leave anything on standby that doesn't actually need to be.
I think this is a more reasonable approach and makes us aware of an ongoing situation rather than doing our bit for the planet for one hour, once a year.... besides there are things like fridges and heaters that either need to be on or would be too unpleasant not to use on at 7.30pm of a chilly March evening.
Probably a better approach would be to use the specific time to go round the house looking at all the electrical devices which are plugged in on standby which don't need to be, and examining the ways that we are living which are destructive to the planet and ways we could be less destructive - use up less of the Earth's resources.... perhaps with a couple of well drawn-up lists as to what we should be looking for and thinking about.
Sorry to disagree, I fully agree with the sentiment but not so sure it's practical.
Yes I would tend to agree it is a gimmicky approach but if more folk do as you have suggested because of it then they will save and the main focus of the idea will have worked to some extent. I also agree that maybe the timing is a bit out for us and perhaps they are a bit warmer in Sydney at that time. I don't think they anticipated it going global when they started but having seen the emails now running round the world it may not be long before the numbers begin to soar.
Your suggestion about walking round the house chacking what you have plugged in also makes sense and it is amazing what you can forget is plugged in on standby - clocks in spare bedrooms, washing machines with wee light glowing when not in use etc etc. and don't forget to check the attic to make sure the light has not been burning for weeks since you were last up there.
It will still be interesting to see if people do try to do something different that night.
Often they tell us about massive power surges on the grid after a big film finishes on TV and everyone puts the kettle on for a cup of tea or coffee.
Might be nice story if they had to switch apowerplant down as demand slumped. They will need to be ready to switch it al back up if evryone switches on an hour later. Maybe a more balanced approach would be better with everyone choosing there own hour to switch off over the day.
In the end its about raising awareness and cutting down on wasting power and saving money now its getting harder on the pocket.
Well my lights will be off all weekend and there will definitely be nobody at home - camping with youth group!!! Friday to Monday, hope weather is better than predicted.
percy toboggan
28-Mar-07, 19:18
As a personal protest to all this green mania and the sickening sight of politicians jumping on the bandwagon all my lights and appliances will be turned ON for an hour if ever a protest like this is foisted upon the people of Britain.
I think it's an excellent idea, I like to do my bit to ensure my kids still have a planet to live on when I am dead and gone! I try to be energy conscious all the time, recycling and switching lights and appliances off when not needed etc..
I too signed up and will do my bit come Saturday.
As a personal protest to all this green mania and the sickening sight of politicians jumping on the bandwagon all my lights and appliances will be turned ON for an hour if ever a protest like this is foisted upon the people of Britain.
Percy, just think of it as a wee bit of romance, a couple of candles, a bottle of chilled wine or beer, and an excuse to cuddle at that time of the evening.........small price to pay by switching the light in the house off [lol]
As a personal protest to all this green mania and the sickening sight of politicians jumping on the bandwagon all my lights and appliances will be turned ON for an hour if ever a protest like this is foisted upon the people of Britain.
lol a protest is never foisted on people, its voluntary.
an hour in the dark might do you good percy...give you time to think.
Cinders392
28-Mar-07, 22:13
[QUOTE=Julia;206347]I think it's an excellent idea, I like to do my bit to ensure my kids still have a planet to live on when I am dead and gone! I try to be energy conscious all the time, recycling and switching lights and appliances off when not needed etc..
I am the same! Its the children who will inherit the planet we are destroying. I turn everything off at night bar the fridge & heater in bairns room. I recycle all that they will take in recycle bins and go by the rule 'only flush the loo of you do a number 2!!'
You all know the parable of the man and the jellyfish!
Its a story of an old man who was walking along the beach. He observed a young man in the distance, approaching him. The young man appeared to be bending down every few minutes to pick something up and to throw it into the sea. As they approached each other, the old man realised the other man was throwing jelly-fish into the sea. There were thousands of jelly-fish on the beach, stranded and dying. The old man said, "you're wasting your time - the task is hopeless. What you are doing is making very little difference to this tragedy.
The young man picked up yet another jelly-fish, threw it back into the sea and said, "it made a big difference for him."
Time it right and we all turn our lights on at the same time, and leg it outside and look at the dark. And dont turn your light on so they turn theres on and the whole world is out of power....excepy you:Razz be funny if it worked
I intend to switch off the lights in the house - and go for a drive for an hour or so.
Golachs ideas sounds ace.. but I'm going for a bath in the dark, works every time I want to switch off.:D
Cedric Farthsbottom III
28-Mar-07, 22:41
Every night I switch off all the electricity appliances we don't need,till we wake up the followin mornin.Feel I'm doin ma wee bit already.The new series o' Doctor Who starts this Saturday at 7,so sorry I cannae join in,but I'll try to have fewer cups o coffee on the Sunday:lol:
I too switch off all the lights every night when I go to bed - is that enough?
Jeemag_USA
29-Mar-07, 01:38
Percy, just think of it as a wee bit of romance, a couple of candles, a bottle of chilled wine or beer, and an excuse to cuddle at that time of the evening.........small price to pay by switching the light in the house off
You go for it Percy. never heed the romance, I love doing it with a 100 watt bulb going, more of a turn on :D
Most of Scotlands power is Hydro, better be careful switchin all the lights off, they'll whap the prices up on ya! ;)
I have signed up and shall be switching off everything that I can - not the wife, though (lol). She will take percytoboggan's approach and say 'don't be silly' and carry on with the telly, the lights.
So, I guess it will be a case of me following around switching off what has gone back on. :confused
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