![]() |
Earth Hour 2009
So, who here is planning on participating in Earth Hour tonight? Or for those of you living in later time zones, who participated in Earth Hour?
Basically, on March 28th (today) at 8:30 PM local time, all you need to do is turn off ALL your lights for one hour. All you need to do is turn off your lights, you don't need to turn off your heater or computer or anything else, though it's not forbidden :P I myself want to do this, though I don't know how the rest of my family feels xD If I can convince them I'll definitely participate. For more information on this, here's the website: http://www.earthhour.org/ Quote:
|
My 8.30pm passed around 4 hours ago...
my mum went out, left me and my dad turning off the lights. But I was planning to have a late nap and sleep through it. XD I don't really get Earth Hour, I am just in for the fun. |
We're ahead than most people in the world (our timezone is GMT+8, and we're only 5 hours behind from New Zealand), so our earth hour already ended. xDD;; It's 12:17am, Sunday, right now. =P
At the time, I was in the mall having dinner with my family. I was SO touched when the mall shut down a LOT of its lights (it couldn't shut down all its light, because then we'd be groping around in the darkness xDD) during Earth Hour. Restaurants brought out candles to act as lights. Even cafes like Starbucks and shops like Zara and all did the same. It created a nice romantic atmosphere, actually. :> I found it awesome that they turned off more than half their lights. They even had posters and announcements regarding it. It was a nice unified effort indeed. =) <3<3 That's my experience with Earth Hour this year~ =D If I was at home, I would have done the same, but, I heard our maids did it too anyway, so I was also extra glad. :3 <3<3 |
Rylynnene so rich... have maids to even have the erm... awareness to do Earth Hour. (in no disrespect to maids.) One of my neighbour even have an outdoor birthday party. XD
|
Oh! I'm not rich. D: In the Philippines, having maids and drivers is sort of a norm over here. >.>;; A lot easier to get than in other countries. :x Goes to show how bad our economy is though. ^^;;
*is not rich* D: </3 |
erm... then won't that make me poor as hell, because... I don't have maid or... gosh, even drivers!! here only real rich person have drivers. and the main maid source is either Indonesia or Philippines here... D:
Well, I object on taking maids... because, I found it hard to trust people. A lot of maid fraud happened here. Anyway, back to topic. Gosh! really, I should go to my shopping mall to feel the unity feel. That is a very amazing and sweet and romantic experience. Most shopping mall cannot turn off ALL their lights, because their mall don't even have windows that bring in enough lights during day time, not to mention night time. |
Yeah, lots of maids come from here. ^^;; Which is why it's a norm in the country.
And yeah, it's hard to trust people you don't really know, but I've come to realize that Filipinos are naturally kind-hearted and are rooted too much in Catholic values and familial traditions that it's fairly easy to trust them. :> <3<3 And lolz, true that. xDD;; If the mall turned off all their lights, the poor people inside will be lost, especially those in the middle of the mall where there are no windows. DX But still, they only kept the most necessary lights on (like the ones in the middle of the mall). :> There was a traveling store selling Earth Day candles. xDD;; Don't think those are original, but hey, they were blue and green and pretty. 8DD;; |
well, maybe this is another country for them, makes for easier escape especially the agents.
Any big building in your country join Earth Hour? I have yet to watch the news about mine. |
Lol, Euvrette. I think the maids would just be glad for the variety in their day.
I'll probably be out to dinner or grocery shopping tonight during Earth Hour -- it'll be interesting seeing who participates and who doesn't, and how they participate. Lighting is so tied in with marketing, though. Like how fine dining (generally) wants to create a relaxed, happy atmosphere so lights are dimmed so people stay longer (and spend more money) and fast food just wants you in and out, so they have bright lights up (I'm sure for ease of cleaning and such as well.) Which is why I think the big chains mostly have announced more symbolic dimming. Like McDonald's turning off the golden arches. I don't really think this is a great way to get the point across of being earth friendly though, if it just makes people think they're going to sit on their hands for an hour until they can turn all their stuff back on. -.- It doesn't help anyone learn how to go about their day using less energy or helping the earth. |
Guivrevre, I don't really think Earth Hour is anything amazing except the fact, it creates excitement, a bit of awareness, other than that, nothing. As mentioned above, I only turn off the lights to join for the fun part... and to have something to say in this thread, for instance. XD
|
@ xuvvie : I dunno, actually. xDD;; Got home past 11pm, so, when I checked the news again, the time for reporting about Earth Hour has passed. 8DD;;
@ Guivre : It's true that it probably won't reach a lot of people the way it's meant to be reached. :x The fact that people will still do it though does say something, despite their reasons. It'll take a lot of time before people will do it wholeheartedly, but I would like to cling to the belief that there are those who truly do it for the sake of Earth Hour. And even though most have different reasons for joining, the fact that they did it for said different reasons should still not be dismissed. ^^;; |
I didn't read the whole Earth Hour website, but I assume the Earth Hour is to save resource of the Earth and something about Global warming and all environment issues?
I really think there are other ways and actions that can be done rather than... oh well, turn off the lights. |
There are other ways, sure, but that doesn't mean that this way is obsolete because of the existence of those other ways. ^^;; Kind of like how there's a black Google now. xDD;;
Plus, if people can't be bothered to turn off their lights for one hour, it's most likely gonna be harder to get them to, say, plant trees for the environment or segregate trash properly. xDD;; |
Yeah, but you can see purpose in planting a tree, versus turning off a light for an hour that you're just going to turn back on.
I dunno, I think informing people helps with goals. I think I'll go look at the website, but I really want to get lunch first cause otherwise I'll wind up skipping it. Edit -- Nevermind I looked at their site. It's not very in depth so I could read it quickly enough. So they want you to post a video, photo, blog, twitter about turning off your lights for an hour. I'm actually a little horrified by our possible future now. |
But we turn off the lights everyday once... well, at least for 'normal thinking' person. When they sleep, they turn off their lights. Supposely, unless they are willing to pay the bills. So, I think turning off the lights really is not all that effective, in comparison.
I am all agree to the aim and objective, just not the action taken. But it is fun to look at grand buildings turn off their lights. XD |
But we turn off the lights everyday once... well, at least for 'normal thinking' person. When they sleep, they turn off their lights. Supposely, unless they are willing to pay the bills. So, I think turning off the lights really is not all that effective, in comparison.
I am all agree to the aim and objective, just not the action taken. But it is fun to look at grand buildings turn off their lights. XD |
True, planting trees has a bigger effect on the environment. But just because something has a bigger effect than another thing, it doesn't mean that the act with the smaller impact on society should be dismissed because its purpose isn't as big as another act.
That's all I'm saying. =) I'm not saying that we shouldn't plant trees, but that even though people misinterpret the meaning and purpose of turning off your lights, it doesn't mean that it's useless. It's actually something called a Perfectionist fallacy, where people think that because one policy doesn't help solve all the problems or isn't as effective as another policy, it should be taken out. 8DD;; Eww, now I'm quoting logic. o_O;; Stupid school. D: </3 Anyhows, informing people does help a lot as well. :> And have a good lunch then! =D <3<3 Edit: @ xuvvie : That's true. xDD;; People do turn off their lights regularly. But it's not as regular as you think. =O There are many people who keep their lights on. Or at least, one part of their household is still lit up at night. =P |
Oh well, I am more like... business mind?
If you have 2 choices of doing a business, 1 give you more earning, 1 give you less, you would choose to concentrate or put more effort in the business that give you more earnings. ? kinda thinking. yeah... I know, the gate lights. But my house never turn on gate lights. But Rylynne, the gate lights are turn off during the day. most lights are off during the day. unless it is like a mall... which, oh well, thanks to their architect, not enough windows. |
Ah, but then we can always add in the factor of whether said business that earns you more money is the more practical and doable one, and if you actually enjoy doing it. =P Many jobs earn more money than others, but still those other jobs are preferred. ^^
And besides, it doesn't mean that if you want to plant trees, you can't possibly do other things to help the environment, even though those other things might not help as much. =P Every little thing counts, after all. ^^ We're getting off-topic anyway. xDD;; And, well, that's true. =O But a lot of countries have longer nights than days, even to the point that the nights are twice as long as the days, so it can be said that their lights are usually on longer. ^^ Also, lights are turned on during cloudy days too. :3 |
How about this, the light bulbs would take turns have their shift. XD and it is possible to have a whole hour without any lights on on normal day. XD
As for longer nights well, they will be compensate during their summer then? which is why there is that day light saving thingy? Look at Northpole and Southpole, they would have a whole day of light and dark in their summer and winter. XD if the Earth Hour happen to be their summer, then... would it make much difference? DX (ps, I assume people DO live somewhere where there are 24 hours of light or night.) But yeah.. March is spring I think... so, my assumption is not good. Just speculating. |
March isn't always spring. Us tropical countries do not have four seasons. March is summer here, for instance. Or, more specifically, it's the transitional month between the rainy/cold season and the summer/hot season. :3
But you do have a point. Unless we can check the status of each country's current weather right now, we'll never know for sure how many countries are experiencing day and night. xDD;; I think that's why when Earth Hour is generally set on March 28, 8:30pm to 9:30pm, it is adjustable for every timezone out there. Because, if it was a set time for the entire world, inevitably one country will still be in the daylight. But, because the time is adjustable, every country will be experiencing night time once their Earth Hour comes around. :3 And even though we aren't sure about those countries who are experiencing a whole day without any night, we can still assume that majority of the world is in the dark at 8:30pm at night. 8DD;; |
I thought the darkest would be 12 midnight. but I guess, most people already sleep thus the lights are mostly off, so no point setting the time that way.
I am near you, Rylynnene, so I know country without 4 seasons. So, I was just doing some speculations for how... widespread the Earth hour could be with their time set like this. My focus is that, the date of 28th of March, not the hour of day/night. so, timezone can only determine the time in 24 hours. If March is a summer, there is due to be... one of the pole is 24 hours with sun. But I think, yeah, march would be a spring according to earth orbit(just checked). anyway, just nitpickying. XD erm... and there is another point. I know there are parts in China and maybe Africa, believe it or not, they do not have access to electricity. So... how about them? |
Lolz, true. xDD;; People are asleep already by that time. >X3
And ohh, I see your point. =O Hmm, we should read about why March 28 was chosen out of all the other days in the world. xDD;; That would be an interesting question answered. :> Maybe the site has the answer? =O And hmm... Well, if they have no electricity, then they probably don't even know about Earth Hour, because it's spread through the internet and commercials, mostly. xDD;; And Earth Hour is mostly aimed at those who use electricity, like us. :> |
I agree about how it's fun watching the big buildings turn off their lights.
Come to think of it, I think that really is what they're after, a good visual. I just want a good visual that makes sense ... My comment about the trees is not saying that I think that these folks are anti planting trees, lol, it's just that they don't bring up anything else at all. They talk about how you are using the light switch as your vote, to show that you're supporting the Kyoto protocol, but that's the only place I've seen it related in that way. It's generally being covered as something earth friendly. But maybe that's cause I'm in the US and we didn't support Kyoto, lol. I dunno. |
I didn't get to see big buildings turn off their lights. :x I was inside the mall when it happened. :< So, no visual for me. ^^;;
And hmm, I don't think that just because they're promoting this turn-off-your-lights thing, they're shunning all the other ways of saving the environment. =O It's like how when there are ads about supporting the hungry in Africa. Many of them concentrate on Africa alone, but that does not mean that they neglect the plight of hungry in other countries. ^^;; Of course they'll promote this campaign more, because it's their aim. But that does not mean they don't support other ways of helping save the earth too. :3 And I never meant to imply that you think that the people who support Earth Hour are anti-planting trees. >.>;; Sorry if I came across that way. :x It wasn't my intention. |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 06:20 PM. |