Today, is the day where we HAVE to go green if we can help it.

For one hour, people are having their lights off to conserve energy.

Is this stupid...or what?

Why do you feel it's stupid?

I feel it's an excellent idea and the last place I worked, I promoted it. We had offices all over the world and I challenged each office to get as many people to participate as they could.

Sure, in it's infancy it might not do much to "the grid", but it's an excellent way of raising awareness, especially to the next generation of going green as much as possible. It can also be fun. In my old neighbourhood of townhouses, we ended up having families go outside and we held a bit of a street party (like what happened in the blackout of the Northeast back in Aug 05). It can bring families and neighbours closer together too.

So what's so stupid about it? And who said you "HAVE" to participate? Is someone holding a gun to your head?

^I agree *****, people have never been forced to participate in Earth Hour. I think it is good thing and if people don't want to participate that is fine.

Does anyone know what hour we are supposed to go green?

I think it's a good idea, too. Far too many people seem to think there's this inexhaustible supply of energy that will always be there for us, no matter how many people populate the world and how much energy we use. It just doesn't make sense.

From 8 to 9 pm. I would guess that hour would be within your own time zone since if it were EST then it would be totally pointless on the Pacific Coast since it would still be light out.

I know when Toronto did it last year, they actually did make a difference on the Ohio/Southern Ontario grid - there was about an 11% drop on the grid. Not only did we turn off lights, we made sure no dish washers, clothes washer and dryers, televisions, etc. were off. If you're afraid of missing a favourite show, you can always record it and watch it at 9pm or whenever.

I lit some nice candles and did crafts, but you can read a book, or the family can play a board game or something. We found it fun actually and some families have started doing it once a month or more.

Even stores and businesses got into the act - and the lights on the CN Tower even go out for that hour.

I'm a "Tree Hugger" .....can ya tell? :lol:

From 8 to 9 pm. I would guess that hour would be within your own time zone since if it were EST then it would be totally pointless on the Pacific Coast since it would still be light out.

I know when Toronto did it last year, they actually did make a difference on the Ohio/Southern Ontario grid - there was about an 11% drop on the grid. Not only did we turn off lights, we made sure no dish washers, clothes washer and dryers, televisions, etc. were off. If you're afraid of missing a favourite show, you can always record it and watch it at 9pm or whenever.

I lit some nice candles and did crafts, but you can read a book, or the family can play a board game or something. We found it fun actually and some families have started doing it once a month or more.

Even stores and businesses got into the act - and the lights on the CN Tower even go out for that hour.

I'm a "Tree Hugger" .....can ya tell? :lol:

Nothing wrong with loving trees, that's for sure.

Thanks for the info. I'll be working on the computer most of today so I don't know if I'll be able to shut off "everything" but I'll try. Most of the time I don't have many lights on anyway, just a TV and my computer, the furnace, clocks, stuff like that.

Nothing wrong with loving trees, that's for sure.

Thanks for the info. I'll be working on the computer most of today so I don't know if I'll be able to shut off "everything" but I'll try. Most of the time I don't have many lights on anyway, just a TV and my computer, the furnace, clocks, stuff like that.


Same here, and because I'm not working right now, I make sure I do my laundry late at night or on the weekends only. I started one summer after the blackout and now it's just a good habit. I'm a night owl so it doesn't bother me.

Have fun!:wave:

Same here, and because I'm not working right now, I make sure I do my laundry late at night or on the weekends only. I started one summer after the blackout and now it's just a good habit. I'm a night owl so it doesn't bother me.

Have fun!:wave:

You, too! :)

Okay...I take that back...I was just wondering if SOME people think that this is going TOO Green.

I care less, I try to keep my lights off until 7 p.m. right now, I just hate it when people turn the lights on when the sun is out because they can't see a damn thing when there's NO lights on!

Okay...I take that back...I was just wondering if SOME people think that this is going TOO Green.

I don't know that it is going TOO "green", but it is a starting point... for people to tell you how to live.
^I agree *****, people have never been forced to participate in Earth Hour.
Just wait. They will. You've heard of the phasing out of incandescent bulbs in favor of those mercury-filled pig-tail bulbs that you have to call a haz-mat team if you want to throw them away or if you break one, haven't you?
How about some people wanting the government to tell you how hot or cold you can keep your home?http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/us/11control.html

Personally, any time the environazi's cook up a "special event" to glorify and worship their "god" gaia and tell you to do it too, I turn all the lights in my house ON. I don't worship the earth, or trees, or animals, and I am not going to start down that road.

Retro4Life Does anyone know what hour we are supposed to go green?
I think it's a good idea, too. Far too many people seem to think there's this inexhaustible supply of energy that will always be there for us, no matter how many people populate the world and how much energy we use. It just doesn't make sense.
Just what are you "saving" by turning all your lights off? Do you know where electricity comes from? It comes from things like hydroelectric dams, which generate electricity from water rushing through it and powering the generators. Electricity is not going to run out. It's not oil. And who knows if even oil will run out. It is being made naturally all the time. It is just a question of how much the companies that own the machines that retrieve these sources of energy want to charge us for it. If you want to conserve to save some money, fine. But don't be letting some doorknobs who want to control every little aspect of your life tell you what you SHOULD be doing with it.