Earth Hour
March 29th, 2008In a few hours here in California major landmarks will turn off their lights, and people have been encouraged to turn off their lights (and other things using electricity) for an hour. It’s been recommended that people enjoy a candlelight dinner. I think it’s rubbish.
Earth Hour is great if you want to feel good about yourself or “raise awareness”. It’s really not that great for saving money or changing people’s habits. Think of it as the modern day “do not buy gas day”. Since you actually don’t curtail your usage any, you’re still buying the same amount of gas. However Earth Hour is slightly different in the sense that you will be using less electricty..but wait remember the recommendation of candles? I have news for you, candles emit roughly the same CO2 over the course of an hour as running your normal energy effecient CFL bulbs. There are better alternatives to traditional candles, things like beeswax and soy candles, however when you factor in transportation costs it’s still better to use electricity (not to mention you probably made a special trip to the store to purchase them).
I’m all for reducing. Making sure you unplug things, hibernate/sleep/turn off computers, and I think everyone can easily change a few habits that will not only save you money on your electric bill (what most people actually care about, myself included), but reduce what you require to sustain your life. Earth Hour might be good for raising awareness, but that’s about all.
March 29th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Okay, so those candles emit ‘roughly’ the same amount of CO2 as energy-efficient CFL’s, except, oh yeah, THEY AREN’T USING ANY ENERGY. Beyond the trivial amount that was used to manufacture them anyway.
I agree about the whole Earth Hour thing, but your dispensation of the candles comparison failed.
March 29th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
The idea is to reduce C02, using candles just produces it in your house, instead of in a power plant someplace. It’s C02 from power plants or C02 from candles (and the making of), same difference, people just assume one is better because it doesn’t use electricity.
They are also using energy, it just doesn’t happen to be in the form of electricity.
March 29th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
CO2 reduction is only part of their goal, though, the other being the overall reduction of electricity usage powered by fossil fuels. Which this certainly does.
And they also address the candles and CO2 point, by the way. Use 100% beeswax candles, wherein the CO2 was already harvested by bees and thereby you aren’t adding any (really).
March 30th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
And here I thought we were having a rolling blackout.
For a majority of the population, habits will only change when there is a certain level of desperation. For uber-liberals who cry wolf every ten seconds, they have reached that level of desperation. For the rest of the world, awareness and sensible reductions will be the extent of any conservation, that is, until there is a VERY serious issue that is on their doorsteps, not just something in the future.
March 30th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Yeah, make gas go to $10 a gallon, and quadruple the electricity price and people will find amazing ways to conserve.
March 30th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Hippies. I ride my bike to work (well, as soon as it’s a bit warmer, we’re getting 9 inches of snow). But i leave my car running during the day to make up for gas i saved, it’s economical because the more gas you use, the more money you pump into the economy, duuuh. I’m actually driving my parents huge blue 1988 chevy cargo van this week, just to waste more gas, I mean stimuli the economy.
March 30th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
bikes again for the win
March 30th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
To play the devil’s advocate…some interesting info on biking (and really anything “healthy”).
Since you exercise, you need to consume more calories, and you expend more C02, also since you’re making yourself healthier, you’ll probably live 4-5 years longer, putting a drain on our health care system and consuming a lot of extra goods over that time.
I love being a cynic. (I still believe biking is way better, I just like that counter argument).
March 31st, 2008 at 8:30 am
By the way, I do love Weston’s redefinition of the word ‘economical’ to mean ‘pumps money into the economy’. That’s pretty handy.