Yesterday (Saturday, 28/3/09), from 8.30pm to 9.30pm, was Earth hour. Last year, about a billion people from approximately ninety countries switched off their lights for an hour to play their part in saving the Earth.
Yesterday, I took part in this event for the first time. My family and I huddled together in one room and switched off all the other lights. When any of us went out, we relied on torches as our source of light, for it was pitch dark outside. Despite the inconvenience, I was glad that we had switched off our lights for that one hour, for by doing that, we have contributed to the fight against Global Warming.
However, even if one billion people switched off their lights for an hour, it would only be equivalent to stopping China's emissions for a mere six seconds. That is a sad fact. Our never-ending need for energy is slowly but surely, destroying our planet's life. 2008 was the year of the frog as many realised the terrible danger amphibian species were in, not only from chrytid fungus but also from global warming.
We all share only one planet: Earth. It will require an international, transboundary effort (and also green technology) to reverse the damage done.
It is ironical for everyone to switch off their lights for Earth hour. As you said, even if everyone switches off their lights, the energy saved is very little, and it is really 杯水车薪 (for those who canot understand Chinese, that means something too little to solve a big problem). They should spend that time, even if we have the thermostat down to 2 degrees and all the lights on in the house, think, or even use the internet to find out ways to help save the environment. Short term measures are not enough, but we can sacrifice that period we could have used for that measure for a long term measure, which would be of much better help.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing is that you said that you used torches when you went out. It is very ironical, that you have switched off all the lights... only to switch on your torchlight. Torchlights consume energy too!
"When you save the world, you save money. Thus in saving the world you save yourself and the society, creating a win-win situation."~~Mark
"No insults"~~Mark
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Mark
I also did participated in Earth hour,I actually had a lot of respect for it, do you know that it all begin in Sydney? It is amazing how much can just one country can do. However, I am truly shocked when I read this article about Earth hour on Wikipedia...
ReplyDeleteThe City of Phoenix spent $3,000, partly to pay city employees to shut off its lights for an hour during Earth Hour 2008. Critics also claimed that because Earth Hour volunteers drive around to get the word out, and because people use inefficient battery operated flashlights instead of more efficient light bulbs, it's possible that Earth Hour actually resulted in a net increase in energy usage. However, this would not be the case if everyone used energy-saving LED flashlights, or candles, and walked or biked to get the word out. A spokesperson for the World Wide Fund for Nature responded saying "The purpose of the event was not to save money or power. It's a symbolic event."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_hour#Criticism
To say the turth, I did not actually bothered much about the critcs' comment but was deeply shocked by the last statements-
"The purpose of the event was not to save money or power. It's a symbolic event."
...
Hi Ernest,
ReplyDeleteI have never really understood how much you truly love the environment, but reading your post on Earth Hour...it's really touching.
Earth Hour was originally proposed, as Mark nicely mentioned, to turn off all lights to play a part in saving the world. To be honest, I don't really find the symbolic comment VERY wrong. Of course, it is shocking in terms of what the WWF feels about Earth Hour. However, you must agree that there is some sort of symbolism present. The absence of lights can represent that we are in our darkest hour, and the irony here is that the darkest hour brings us out of our darkest hour. But I shall stop that, cause I myself am getting confused.
Just privately, do you know that Earth Hour is being criticised for another reason - that of being ineffective? It's true. People all over the world are turning their lights off for that one hour, but what is the offset? Practically nothing. China is still releasing as much pollutive gases into the environment from its pollutive industrialization. U.S.A, the supposed supporter of the green cause, is still 2nd most pollutive country. There is an undercurrent that feels that if the real work is done in reducing this pollutive giants' pollution, it would be much better than a 100 Earth Hours.
You might argue that Earth Hour is a way to show that citizens are concerned. Personally, I feel that if you are really that concerned, then make others more concerned than you! Start a green campaign within yourself, than spread it to your family, your class, your school, your country...Such is the power of belief.
However, even after saying so much on how Earth Hour is actually not that efficient, I still feel that Earth Hour should go on. At least it provides for the people out there who want to save the environment, but are unwilling to take an active role, and I am admit I am such a person. Ultimately, there is no correct way to help. Help within your capacity, for ultimately, what we all want is a better world.
Cheers,
Darrel
Hi Ernest,
ReplyDeleteTo post a less confusing comment and to get the ACE I desperately need, here's a summary of my post: your love is commendable, there is symbolic meaning, Earth Hour is slightly like a farce,you should use yourself as an example, but there is no correct way ultimately. The "correct way" is up to your self.
Cheers,
Darrel
To summarise my earlier points,
ReplyDeleteIt is ironical that people switch off their lights during Earth Hour, as it is no help at all to our current environmental crisis. Instead, we can do something better, for example picking up litter around your area. We should also use that time to think and reflect on how we have helped, and will help save the environment.
Mark
Hi Ernest, being desperate for ace, I shall be commenting... ... Actually, I did not know that you are an environmentalist, you know. I was actually shocked when you could pick up all those bugs wiht your bare hands at the camp. How disgusting it was(to me, no offense) Nevermind about this, I did not participate during Earth hour, you know? I was actually... ...actually... watching television! (If I am not wrong.)
ReplyDeleteYou know I actually participated in the Earth hour too! Glad to see that so many of us participated in it. Do you know that some restaurants actually participated in it? That day I was celebrating my cousins birthday when the lights in Swenson turned off(That was where we ate). Later we saw Mc Donalds did the same thing too. Well, like you hoped, I do understand better about saving the Earth after reading your post! =)
ReplyDeleteHey ernest i noticed you like green a lot(=
ReplyDeleteanyway my sis was totally shouting and screaming at me for switching on my computer and lights during earth hour. And guess what? On normal nights, she would pretend to be studying in the room but will end up sleeping all the way till 3 plus when my father checks on us WITH THE LIGHTS ON...
she so doesnt practice what she preaches(=
anyway you should add more videos and pictures, and your posts should be made more intersting and lively, and not only about the environment and stuff(=
anyway, nice blog!
Junior Environmentalist! Good stuff! I was actually at chinese tuition during earth hour, but nonetheless, my classmate insisted that we switched off all the lights, but we didn't. Sad... Anw i will definitely participate in next year's earth hour. And let us all save the world together! (:
ReplyDeletecool blog!
ps. ms chan stills loves you even though you hate her for photocopying your compo(:
Ha yes, Ziying is seriously right... Earth hour is but a symbolic event. What matters more is our daily conservation of electricity. Then Earth hour would not have a purpose anymore, since Earth hour is an event meant to raise environmental awareness.
ReplyDelete