Earth Hour - Round Deux

Wow, I cannot believe it's already been a year since Earth Hour 2008! I remember hearing about it way back in October 2007, and having everyone look at me like I had two heads when I tried to explain the concept to them. This year, market research is showing that 75% of Canadians are planning to take part! That's AMAZING.

I've only been awake for an hour, but already the Interweb is buzzing with the (sadly, to be expected) few who make it known that they believe Earth Hour is a waste of time and won't accomplish anything. Yes, you're right. That is, if you choose to not do anything in the belief that it won't accomplish anything, then it won't. Because it can't.

Last year I attended the Nathan Phillip Square event that I promoted at York University, and it was an amazing experience. At 8:30, lights one by one in the sky scrapers around the city square began to turn off. The BMO building went down flight by flight, ending with the giant logo on the top of the building going out, the cherry on top of the cake. It was surreal walking through Toronto and seeing just how much light is unnecessary. Of course, that is the message that one should take from the whole event - not that one hour is going to make a difference, but that a whole lifetime of over/unnecessary use is the greater issue.

Earth Hour is meant to be a collective call to action, to show us that 75% or more of our energy consumption in the developed world is wasteful. This is one of my favourite images I have ever come across - an image from space of the world at night. Here you can clearly see the areas of the world which posess major cities, and where the developed vs. "undeveloped" world exist:



I find this image both beautiful and disturbing at the same time. It is physical evidence of our energy impact on Earth; so significant, it can be viewed easily from space. It also depicts discrepancies between the rich and poor of the world. But I think most importantly it reminds us that, while our individual use of energy appears insignificant, our collective use as a society is extremely impactful, and therefore needs to be addressed.

Last Earth Hour, Toronto's energy consumption was reported to have dropped 7% from the previous hour, and over 8% based on previous consumption patterns for that day and time by Ontario Hydro. If that isn't hard physical evidence that Earth Hour is "doing something", I don't know what is. On top of that, since Earth Hour 2008, I have personally noticed a proliferation of media content surrounding how to reduce one's environmental footprint, including energy consumption, and I really believe it's events such as these that are making even the most ignorant and complacent of society think twice.

I came across two articles that I really enjoyed today. The first being a list of how to celebrate Earth Hour this evening, and another on how to continue to lower your energy consumption (EASILY!) permanently.

http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/earthhour/article.aspx?cp-documentid=962109

http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/earthhour/green-living-online-article.aspx?cp-documentid=973542


Be the change you wish to see in the world!