Earth Hour

[Sparky]

So. Since we have threads for Christmas and other holidays...how many of you are doing Earth Hour?

March 29 (i.e. today) at 8 pm your local time is EARTH HOUR which is an event hosted by the World Wildlife Fund. Basically, you turn off your lights for an hour to save energy and to promote awareness about the well-being of our planet. Collectively as a world we are emitting 27 BILLION TONS of CO2 into the atmosphere, so why not do your part in making a difference?

$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://www.theartofstylingfood.com/images/photos/donnas/godiva_chocolate.jpg')

Save the earth; it's the only planet with chocolate.

http://www.earthhour.org/
http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...0.html?cnn=yes

[john-e]

Yep, the lights go out at 8 tonight. Was watching reports from Australia where it's already over. It's a good idea for raising awareness, but I don't think humans will be reducing output anytime soon.

There was an interesting program on the discovery channel about how energy-efficient vehicles are actually increasing CO2 output because ppl use them more. Re the 27 billion tons, you'll find different estimates from different sources. Most sources agree that natural output is around 200-250 (metric) tonnes annually. Human output estimates range from 4 (oil companies) to 30 (tree-hugger websites) billion tonnes. Seems 6 to 8 is what I've seen from apparently impartial sources. It's hard to know what to believe. Just google "carbon cycle" and make your own decisions.

Anyhow, I kind of like the advances made in carbon-recovery technologies such as the artifical tree, which has been around for a number of years now. This article discusses some of these and they do look promising.

http://biopact.com/2007/10/scientist...-trees-to.html

Maybe we can burn all the fossil fuels without destroying ourselves.

[Thor]

So. Since we have threads for Christmas and other holidays...how many of you are doing Earth Hour?

March 29 (i.e. today) at 8 pm your local time is EARTH HOUR which is an event hosted by the World Wildlife Fund. Basically, you turn off your lights for an hour to save energy and to promote awareness about the well-being of our planet. Collectively as a world we are emitting 27 BILLION TONS of CO2 into the atmosphere, so why not do your part in making a difference?

$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://www.theartofstylingfood.com/images/photos/donnas/godiva_chocolate.jpg')

Save the earth; it's the only planet with chocolate.

http://www.earthhour.org/
http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...0.html?cnn=yes

Yes, I encourage all of you to participate in the Earth Hour. Show the awareness of the need to conserve.
Here are a few suggestions as to what you can do when the lights are out.
1. Sit in the dark like an idiot (please do not turn on the TV or music).
2. Go for a walk. (hopefully you do not get mugged when the neighbourhood is in total darkness).
3. Go and with a few hundred dollars, buy an astronomical telescope so you can look at the Heavens in the darken conditions.
4. Invite your girl/man over or with your spouse, make out.



By the way, regarding that Earth is the only planet that has chocolate.
I hope you are aware of the danger to your health of eating chocolate.
Eating too much chocolate makes your feet small.

Proof: http://bl126w.blu126.mail.live.com/m...8&d=d2126&mf=0

[Sparky]

4. Invite your girl/man over or with your spouse, make out.

Great idea!! You know, surprisingly enough I totally didn't think of that! You could make it even better if you light up some candles in a room (ooh what a romantic setting) and burn some calories while you're at it. However, I recommend sticking with making out and not the calorie-burning activity (and if you choose the latter use contraceptives) because too many babies = more people = increased energy consumption.

I hope you are aware of the danger to your health of eating chocolate.
Eating too much chocolate makes your feet small.

Proof: http://bl126w.blu126.mail.live.com/m...8&d=d2126&mf=0

What? The link isn't working but I'm genuinely very curious since I haven't heard this one. Either way it's not true...I probably eat more chocolate than all of you combined, and I still don't have that small feet...size 6 US.

[oGaKirA]

I think Earth Hour is now a global thing.

I will be celebrating by bar-b-q'ing all day.

[Duke_Darcy]

Sparky, who is that girl on your avatar? She's hot. Anyway, about the Earth Hour thing, I read about it and was wondering...could this hurt our production rate? I'm just afraid some day that either we will all die from the UV radiation without the ozone layer or that the sun could kill us (when it moves closer and just disappears). I'm definitely experiencing global warming over here in Cali. One day, it'd be hot as hell and the next, it's the next Ice Age.

[Han Solo]

The earth hour in melbourne was nothing special, in fact most of the street light in the central business district was still on.

[mind_wander]

Hi all, yeah the Earth Hour is a global thing. Someone from Canada, mentioned this to me. So its a definite yes.

[oGaKirA]

Ok...im a bit confused...do we turn off all electrical appliances like computers, tv's, or just the lights? If this really did make a difference, then why don't they make it like a mandatory thing every weekend or sumping?

Things that makes you say "hmmmmmm."

[john-e]

Ok...im a bit confused...do we turn off all electrical appliances like computers, tv's, or just the lights? If this really did make a difference, then why don't they make it like a mandatory thing every weekend or sumping?

Things that makes you say "hmmmmmm."

The main purpose of earth hour is to increase awareness of energy conservation and its effects on climate change. You're supposed to ask, "why are all the lights off?"

Electricity used by household lighting is quite small when compared to other forms, check out how fast your meter spins when you turn on the stove, dryer or space-heater. Wiki says earth hour might reduce electricity consumption by 2 to 10% in Sydney - probably similar in most cities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Hour

The pollution impact depends on how your electricity is generated. Turning things off reduces the load on generators so they don't have to work as hard. Theoretically, less coal is burned if that's the fuel being used. Coal-fired generating plants probably just release more steam so they don't have to fire up again when the lights come back on. Hydro, solar ('cept it's night-time) and wind are unaffected...not sure about nuclear power, I think they can slow down fission and produce less waste - again, for just an hour it's probably not worth it. Any electrical engineers out there who can explain this better?

Anyhoo, it was nice to see all the lights out on my street except for one house. Reminded me of the power failure last summer when everyone went outside walking and talking with the neighbours instead of being on their computers or watching TV.