Topic: Earth Hour

[mattcb350f]

  ....that's all I'm gonna say.

Thoughts people?

 Matt.

[gerhed]

....that's all I'm gonna say.

Thoughts people?

 Matt.

I'm turning off my lights at 8:30 p.m. eastern
That's when I go to bed anyway !

[Gordon]

Thoughts people?

Stupid.

All it does is make people who habitually over-consume feel better about themselves because they did their part to help for one whole freaking hour.  Then they happily go back to their lavish lifestyles feeling like environmentalists, even though they could do so much more by simply making one small change every day of their lives.

[kslrr]

The power companies will actually spend more money because they must keep some operators on over time and stand by because you can't just suddenly dump that much demand without shutting down generators as it happens.  If you don't the grid and the substations will overload and trip breakers.  And when the demand is reapplied just as quickly, the system must be monitored while bringing generators back on-line so that the whole thing doesn't crash.

[Gordon]

And if you're feeling nostalgic, here's a little blast from the past (one year ago, to be more specific) .

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=32612.0;all

[Duke McDukiedook]

About as goofy and pointless as earth day.
Pretty much the only time of the year most people give a hoot about our bioshpere.

[tramp]

i wonder if they have that in china
where you have to wear a mask to breath
they had to shut down factories for the olympics to get the air to clean up
somehow i don't think so

[johnny_from_bel]

True, it is pointless.
I generate 60% of my own electricity though solar panels. I think that has more impact.

[Gordon]

True, it is pointless.
I generate 60% of my own electricity though solar panels. I think that has more impact.

There's an almost endless list of even very simple things that people can do every day that will have an immensely greater impact than turning off their lights and appliances for one hour. 

Turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees in the Winter and put on a sweater.
Open the blinds on South-facing windows when the sun is out.
Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth.
Don't flush the toilet every single time you pee (unless you ate asparagus with dinner).
Set your computer so it goes into sleep mode when not in use.
Turn off any lights when they're not currently being used.
Don't leave electric gadget chargers plugged in when you're not using them.
Hang dry your clothes occasionally.
Walk to the store that's five blocks away instead of driving your SUV.

etc, etc...

[rhos1355]

You forgot one, Gordon:

Have less kids

[johnny_from_bel]

Insulate your house. Not with 5cm of insulation but 15cm or more. I have 30 cm.
Even in winter I barely have to heat the house.

I have put switches on every outlet. That saves several watts/day. Its amazing what stuff uses when it is so called 'switched off'.

I even switch off the network router at night.

[Duke McDukiedook]

You forgot one, Gordon:

Have less kids

English Protestant?

[Gordon]

You forgot one, Gordon:

Have less kids

That's already happening, at least in the U.S.  Women, in general, are having children later in life, and having fewer. 

[Steve F]

This whole EarthHour or whatever it's called or anything similar in principle isn't to see how much of whatever is saved or made better, but it's primary purpose is to raise awareness to situations that impact the environment.  One hour of anything won't do diddly, it's the long term daily practice, you know, like exercising, and diet.

[rhos1355]

You forgot one, Gordon:

Have less kids

English Protestant?

Nah, just a guy that's p!ssed off with the hypocrisy of the so called green brigade. They spew lengthy lectures about lowering our carbon footprint, going organic, buying local (to which I wholeheartedly agree), using our cars/bikes/4 X 4/lawn-mowers/any other petrol driven garden tools/mobility wagons/golf trolleys/model aircraft  less etc, etc, etc
Then, guess what? It transpires these same people have have anything between 4 and a whole soccer team of kids at home!! Think of the surplus clothes, nappies, medicines, shoes, cast off toys, petrol used to ferry them all over the country side "'cos little Amy has to go to her Judo/Piano/Kayaking etc class!
That's where Pollution starts........at home.

[tramp]

seems al gore forgot to turn off his lights

[Caaveman82]

It's obvious that global warming is a conspiracy by Duracell and Energizer. So smoke em if you got em, leave that bathroom light on all night, and drive those big suburbans as your daily driver. The planet will be just fine...