MetaChat - So, this Earth Hour thing...

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28 March 2009

So, this Earth Hour thing... oops
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I guess I am really out of the loop because I really just heard of it in passing the other day and then was reminded just now because when I turn on the TV it defaults to the CBC's news channel. They're running, like, a live special broadcast about it. So I went around and turned everything off except the TV. (Computer's on battery.)

I guess I'm just surprised and amazed that people are so gung-ho about it. I figured it was like Buy-Nothing Day, where it's really only a fringe activity. They just showed, like, the Acropolis and shit with no lights on.

Anyone have any thoughts? Am I the only person this completely flew by? Am I crazy?!?!?

post by: loiseau at: 19:47 | 20 comments

Crap, I'm online so I guess this means my modem and router are also running.

posted by loiseau 28 March | 19:52

I heard about it on the radio today when, at 11am UK time, the guy came on the news and said he was in Sydney and the Opera House and Harbour Bridge were in darkness.

I have no idea what time it was meant to happen in the UK.

posted by essexjan 28 March | 19:53

I think it's 8:30-9:30pm wherever you are. (What a strangely arbitrary time. I wonder if it had to do with the time people use the most power in general.)

They just said Toronto's power usage is down 12-point-something percent right now... which sounds pretty significant.

posted by loiseau 28 March | 19:56

Of course they just showed Montreal and all the towers downtown and lit up as usual. We're not so good at this whole "obeying instructions" thing, I guess. :(

posted by loiseau 28 March | 19:57

I have every light off in the house except two TVs and my laptop. That's how we operate anyway. I pretty much dislike artificial light unless it's necessary. I did read about it on a blog I read from time to time. This could have been a good teaching moment for my kids. Instead we are watching The Kids' Choice Awards and eating Mike and Ikes. I fail again as a mother.

posted by LoriFLA 28 March | 20:00

It looks like it's 8:30 local time where ever you are. Which is now in EDT. We turned off the lights but I'm just not turning off the TV in the middle of a tight Pitt vs. Villanova game. Sorry.

posted by octothorpe 28 March | 20:00

I've only heard about it this week, and my understanding was that it was to take place at 8.30pm in every timezone. So while it's already happened in New York, it's still three hours away here in Anchorage.

The website isn't very helpful.

posted by rhapsodie 28 March | 20:04

We're supposed to be a participating city but I didn't hear anything about it locally and looking at the Mt. Washington webcam, everything is still lit up.

posted by octothorpe 28 March | 20:06

My twelve year old reminded me. So I've just got the tv and my laptop on.

posted by redvixen 28 March | 20:08

My library had a couple of big posters up about it, but I think more people talked about participating last year in my circle. I was at a dinner party tonight and was driving through the country around 8.45pm and only saw a couple of dark houses. In my neighbourhood I could only see a few dark houses too. My children all sat around a circle and we sang camp songs together and my son was walking around the house with his night vision goggles on but we do that kinda thing on a regular basis anyway so it wasn't too special. I wish the town would turn off the street lights though.

posted by saucysault 28 March | 20:48

I decided to move Earth Hour to like 11. At 11 I'm going to turn off all the lights in my house and everything, I promise. However, sitting alone in the dark from 8:30 - 9:30 was somehow unappealing, so I didn't. If the earth ends y'all can come hunt me down.

posted by mygothlaundry 28 March | 21:10

I'm with mygothlaundry. In fact, I'll go a step further and keep everything turned off from when I get into bed to go to sleep until I wake up tomorrow morning, HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 28 March | 22:06

I was at a party at someone else's house, and it would have felt awkward asking a house of 40-odd people to walk around in the dark, so I didn't.

posted by BoringPostcards 28 March | 22:56

Hadn't heard about it until this post.

posted by CitrusFreak12 28 March | 23:54

I was at a party at someone else's house, and it would have felt ~~awkward~~ sexy asking a house of 40-odd people to walk around in the dark, so I didn't.

minor edit

posted by loiseau 29 March | 00:30

Well, it was a bear party... they might just have gone for it if I'd brought it up. :)

posted by BoringPostcards 29 March | 01:30

All my home lights were off. But that's because I was out driving, which sort of negates the purpose...

posted by casarkos 29 March | 01:38

I picked up some black milk cartons in the supermarket, made dinner and lit the candles I had in the window, but still managed to completely forget about earth hour and turn off the other lights. Oops.

posted by dabitch 29 March | 03:36

Oops.

I forgot.

Last year, I took a walk around the block during Earth Hour, and was surprised to find that most of the homes had their lights out. This year, our city hall is in on the act --- they're turning out all the external and auxiliary lights that usually run all weekend.

posted by Elsa 29 March | 08:30

I was at a wedding, so all the power in my house was turned off :)

It looks like my alma mater went in for it in a big way this year, as part of their ongoing campaign to reduce power consumption by the college. I kept getting facebook notices to attend "Earth Hour" parties, where everyone gathers outside for a keg and some ice cream while the campus is dark.

posted by muddgirl 30 March | 09:10

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