(no subject)

[badstar]

So I keep seeing all these posts all over the place- on LJ, forums and stuff about Earth Hour and how everyone's supposed to turn off stuff for an hour tonight because it's going to do so much to save the planet.

But really, how many of those people are going to be sitting there counting the seconds on their watches or cell phones or whatever and at the stroke of sixty minutes, turn it all right back on and then hop on the computer and tell everyone how great they did because they turned it all off for an hour?

Why bother, really? How many of those people are going to even do what's necessary to make their stuff actually stop drawing power- that is to say unplug every fucking thing because nothing really tuns off anymore, it just goes to standby.

Really, as Gavin said, it's like putting a bandaid on a decapitation (and as I added, taking it off an hour later.)

People who get all smug and self-righteous when they make a cute little gesture at doing something are so irritating. Kinda reminds me of the time that I was on the light rail going to work one afternoon when the people in the seat ahead of me were going on and on about how great they were because they took the light rail when they left work that day for lunch instead of driving and how they're really doing so much to help the planet for taking that train ride- and in the same breath going on and on about how hard it is to find a decent parking space in the city for an Expedition or a Suburban or some equally huge gas guzzler that most people just really have no need for.

Can't we just eliminate the stupid people from the population? That would eliminate most of the damage being done to the environment right there. It would also cut down on the damage being continually done to my brain. Bonus!

Comments

[blaisepascal]

The stupid gesture wasn't to turn off everything (and, heck, if I wanted to do that for an hour, the easiest, most effective way would be for me to grab a flashlight and head to be circuit breaker panel); the stupid gesture was to turn off lights for an hour. Then, I guess, sit and bask in the glow of all the LED indicators on all your electronics.

[erl-queen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a nifty stunt, I guess, but does it cause anyone to change anything about their regular energy use? (Btw, I hate the fact that everything is always drawing power these days, which is why I keep my microwave unplugged since I rarely use it, and I have my tv/dvd on a power strip that I keep off when I'm not using it, and so on. Not sure how much it helps, but it's sort of the principle of the thing.)

I've been thinking lately about using less lights after dark, as it supposedly messes with our natural cycles anyway, since we were meant to experience darkness at night, not glaring lights.

[unprotoize.livejournal.com]

Hmkay, well I found it interesting and novel. More of an art installation (the city skyline dark) than an idea that turning the lights off for an hour was saving the world.