Earth Hour

[gravelclimber]

Anyone turning their lights off for an hour tonight? It is only symbolic as there isn't going to be much less CO2 produced. Then again, symbols are important - as we have seen with the recent apology to the stolen generations.

Still not sure what I'll do - I'm pretty well aware of the science behind climate change and what will have to be done to minimise future warming (there's a pretty good section in today's Weekend Australian about carbon taxes, trading etc - really worth a read). Not sure there's any point to turning our lights off - other than to go to the pub.

Worthwhile or waste of time?

[sprocket]

yeah i'm turning the lights out tonight, while i do that i'm going out for a drive in the truck for an hour(which i dont usually do) as i wont be able to do much in the dark... so thats going to cause more damage than staying at home wiht the lights on.. oh well thats what the greenies want to do.. i'll do my part :D

[$$Noble$$]

yerp ill be doing it

so we just have to turn off all out light at 8 for an hr and only see with candels? not to sure

ill just unplug my laptop and be on farkin

[bitterbro]

Gee it's not going to hurt if you do it. You'll be sitting there thinking 'hmm maybe i should turn of my lights... nah can't be bothered, won't make a difference'. No harm in participating.

I remember last years. Mum got a little caried away and wouldn't let us use a light from 8-bed time. We had to use candles. It was quite an experience

[cameron_15]

yeah i'm turning the lights out tonight, while i do that i'm going out for a drive in the truck for an hour(which i dont usually do) as i wont be able to do much in the dark... so thats going to cause more damage than staying at home wiht the lights on.. oh well thats what the greenies want to do.. i'll do my part :D

yeh, i'm going to go and torch a few tree's. how else will i see.

[Plow King]

What's the point of this?

So greeny's can get on their high horse about how much electricity average folk use?

[{ScarFace}]

I'll turn out my lights
and then I'll light a fire so I can keep warm, I reckon about 55 tonnes of coal will do.

Should be good

[gravelclimber]

Gee it's not going to hurt if you do it. You'll be sitting there thinking 'hmm maybe i should turn of my lights... nah can't be bothered, won't make a difference'. No harm in participating.

I remember last years. Mum got a little caried away and wouldn't let us use a light from 8-bed time. We had to use candles. It was quite an experience

Yeah, I know its not going to hurt to do it. That's kind of the problem. A response that is actually going to do enough to limit global warming is going to hurt - in the form of increased prices. Instead of Earth Hours and the like, I'd prefer governments to take serious action now - like a carbon tax. At least it will cost less than delaying action and costing far more in the future.

[Breaka]

Worthwhile or waste of time?

I'm a bit of a skeptic and I'm not entirely convinced as to whether or not it makes that much of a difference. I am participating however - ONE HOUR isn't really that much of an inconveniance to not give it a go.

What's the point of this?

So greeny's can get on their high horse about how much electricity average folk use?

I don't think so. The reason why it came about are pretty clear.

[drewie162]

I find the whole thing pointless because the powerstations are still going to be running and burning coal at the same rate. Also lighting a candle will produce more CO2 than turning on a light. Candles produce so much heat which makes then not very efficient doesn't it. If this isn't true why don't we always use them?

[do-a-flip]

yer i will be doing it aswell. so if i see any of you mtb addicts online at 8:01 you should be banned:D hahah but how would the mods be able to see that people are on anyway when their computers are off aswell?:confused:

[S.]

I'm doing it between 2am and 3am.

[Jon]

yer i will be doing it aswell. so if i see any of you mtb addicts online at 8:01 you should be banned:D hahah but how would the mods be able to see that people are on anyway when their computers are off aswell?:confused:
My lappie has a battery;)

[Christo]

What's the point of this?

So greeny's can get on their high horse about how much electricity average folk use?

It's called raising awareness.

Whether anyone does turn off their lights or not, people have been made aware - you're discussing it now ergo you're aware of it and the reasons behind it.

There's nothing wrong with symbolism - it's not just 'greenies' that use it as a political/awareness tool - just like Amy Gillett/Lance Armstrong wrist bands.

[Spike-X]

Screw that, I've already had the power off all day.

No Internet all day! *twitches*

[skivi]

i'll be at a party so that'll be interesting.

[indica]

No.
I'll turn on more lights.
I'm certainly not turning the heater off... 3'c tonight.

[olli91]

I find the whole thing pointless because the powerstations are still going to be running and burning coal at the same rate.
So we are in fact just wasting energy that is still going to be produced regardless whether or not everyone in Australia is sitting around in the dark.

My geo teacher told the class that it can take two or three days to shut down a coal-fired power station, and there is a chance that it might not turn on again. So until we can just stop producing CO2 at the power stations for that one hour, the whole thing is just essentially a whole publicity stunt that corporations can hop on to get brownie points.

[sim_doggy]

Yer my familys doing it, whats one hour.Me I'll be sitting by the fire.

[Steve's_Sky1]

i got a view of Surfers Pardise on the Gold Coast....so it'lll be interesting how many lights will be turned off....at Earth Hour

[Breaka]

So we are in fact just wasting energy that is still going to be produced regardless whether or not everyone in Australia is sitting around in the dark.

My geo teacher told the class that it can take two or three days to shut down a coal-fired power station, and there is a chance that it might not turn on again. So until we can just stop producing CO2 at the power stations for that one hour, the whole thing is just essentially a whole publicity stunt that corporations can hop on to get brownie points.

What so any electricity produced isn't stored? It just goes straight into the grid and dissapears if it's not used?

[Elbo]

I'm doing it between 2am and 3am.
Good on you mate, such a sacrifice :p

I don't see the point. As stated previously, Power Plants will continue to burn coal at the same rate. Gives you a warm fuzzy feeling though.

[indica]

What so any electricity produced isn't stored? It just goes straight into the grid and dissapears if it's not used?

No, it's not stored, it just goes around and around.

[From.Out.Of.Nowhere]

While I agree with the idea as a way to raise awareness of the issue I can't help but think some people will turn off their lights for an hour tonight so they can feel good that they have done their part, then tomorrow they will be back in their 4x4's driving through the 'burbs burning up excess fossil fuels.

The same kind of people who go to church at Easter and Christmas but are not Sunday regulars, they're just hedging their bets. As long as it looks like you're doing something, you don't have to do anything.

And as for a carbon tax, isn't that just a licence for the rich to pollute?

End of rant.:o

[Breaka]

No, it's not stored, it just goes around and around.

Well then it IS being stored, not just dissapearing right? Even if it isn't necessarily reducing CO2 emmissions power is still being conserved. That aint a bad thing is it?

[gravelclimber]

And as for a carbon tax, isn't that just a licence for the rich to pollute?

End of rant.:o

No - that's carbon credits - the system that's in the pipeline now. A carbon tax means everyone has to pay (directly or indirectly). That's why it is a better system but one that would be far less popular. Look at what happens every time fuel prices go up, for example. Lots of people get pissed off and whinge, but they also by more efficient cars.

[Plow King]

Happy Earth Hour!

[kill_switch]

ACTION its on.

[Traumaboy]

Don't Quote me on this but im pritty sure at night time all the power not being used gets used anyway to pump water back up to the top of the snowy hydro scheme so there is realy no point in turning them off. Even though we already have turned them off because my mum is an environmentalist.:mad:

[indica]

Well then it IS being stored, not just dissapearing right? Even if it isn't necessarily reducing CO2 emmissions power is still being conserved. That aint a bad thing is it?

I think a fair amount is lost because of the inefficiencies of the transmission system.:confused:

[Lemontime]

Computer screens are back-lit anyway, won't make a difference to me..

[syphon_the_python]

Yeah, went to the mt piper power station recently for an excursion, someone asked if they were turning it off for earth hour, and the answer was


NO!

Apparently it costs around $40000 in fuel to restart it (roflcopter)

[Steve's_Sky1]

earth hour hasn't started here in Qld 16 mins left...

[b_S]

Token effort.
Sorry but I make changes to my life to be more environmentally friendly, and make sure these changes stick. Having the lights off for an hour or wearing a wanky shirt isn't going to change the world.

[kill_switch]

its over in vic now.

Brent

[mtb_champ]

hours over for us! ;) did it with no problem, altough other family members did flick on and off a few lights :S, cheers, Tom.

[Fisher]

Hmmm... lucky i can touch type or it would be all like this... rhis ia giid trpin

[pinned--->]

Token effort.
Sorry but I make changes to my life to be more environmentally friendly, and make sure these changes stick. Having the lights off for an hour or wearing a wanky shirt isn't going to change the world.

:rolleyes:

[Ozza]

mmmm so they encourage us to not use lights for an hour and use candles instead. Sounds like the fire brigades going to be busy tonight!

[b_S]

:rolleyes:Do elaborate, please.

There are so many small changes you can make to your habits and lifestyle that add up to make for a (relatively) massive result. I understand that Earth Hour is about raising awareness but the media hype about this event doesn't go half as far as it should about the small things we can do to change for the better.
Sure you can buy a Prius and install solar panels on your roof, but holy crap you can also learn to switch off lights when you leave the roof, turn off equipment at the power point, use fans and natural ventilation instead of aircon, walk to the shops instead of drive 2km's, eat less processed foods, reuse/recycle instead of dispose etc etc...
Where do we see these things being mentioned in the papers? It's the small but most important things that get looked over whilst people bang on about spending massive money and doing over the top things to acheive small results when the small efforts add up to give a bigger result in the end.
I get very frustrated when I hear people complain that they don't want to make "compromises" to their life to make a change yet they'll happily organise a novelty earth hour candlelight dinner to "show that they care" :rolleyes:

[Breaka]

Rightio, whether it did something or not I did it. I'm happy because I did something I hadn't done for a long long time - I layed on the trampoline with a sleeping bag and star gazed...nice!

[axertes]

That's awesome Breaka. It's funny how in times like blackouts and this you do awesome stuff, but never do it when you have power with intarnets and such.

Last blackout we had my GF (of 7 years, so it's kinda almost a defacto spouse kinda thing) was like "it was so nice that we just sat around and talked".

I didn't do earth hour: I was at work.