Australian city aims for world first climate change blackout

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's largest city will be plunged into darkness for an hour on Saturday in an attempt at a world first blackout to raise awareness of global warming, organisers say.

A successful switch-off could then be copied by major cities around the world in a drive to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate change, according to international conservation group WWF.

From Yahoo! News

Talk about ramming it down all our throats!!! My personal view on this is that the power surge on re-start will offset the savings made by switching off. It's a stupid idea from stupid people. How about some tax breaks for those who can reduce their personal electricity / gas consumptions by a couple of percent per year. Watch all the bulbs in unused rooms across the country get switched off then.

Idiots.

This is merely an attempt to raise awareness of the threat of global warming. If the WWF want to cut back by 5% on emissions by next year, they are going to have to get a strong message out to a lot of people, and Sydney, with its 4 1/4 million people (more than 20% of Australia's population) is the perfect place to start.

Originally posted by boyg2004
My personal view on this is that the power surge on re-start will offset the savings made by switching off. It's a stupid idea from stupid people.

It would'nt, more power is used in the operation of things than is used in truning them on.

It's just like some people say it's better to leave lights on all the time,
to conserve energy, because they think truning them on will consume
more enery.
In reality leaving them on all the time consumes more energy.


As to the article, I think it is interesting, I personally would'nt have a big
problem if my city did something similiar (which I can see, considering
we tend to be a more environmentally friendly state/area.), I mean an
hour of your day with nor power is'nt a huge inconvienance.

As a side effect, more people may be inclined to go outside, and actually
do something, which is a great possible side effect.

Originally posted by boyg2004
How about some tax breaks for those who can reduce their personal electricity / gas consumptions by a couple of percent per year.

Idiots.

Yes they are idiots. I like your idea about the tax breaks but that will never happen. This whole global warming nonsense is all about taxes--A New Tax. The first World Wide global tax which will be the first step to pave the way for a One World Government.

[edit on 3/26/2007 by Classified Info]

This is merely an attempt to raise awareness of the threat of global warming. If the WWF want to cut back by 5% on emissions by next year, they are going to have to get a strong message out to a lot of people, and Sydney, with its 4 1/4 million people (more than 20% of Australia's population) is the perfect place to start.

Yes, I agree that it will raise awareness. But reverting to the iron age is no way for a civilisation to advance. Improvements through technological investment is the way forward.

It's ideas from people like this that hold back humanity. In my opinion, there is no perfect place to start retarding the human race.

Tax breaks are the ideal encouragement for people to take up on this whole thing. Every household in the world is already metered in some form or other concerning its gas and electricity consumption, so the technology is already in place for a change.

Unless the motive is about collecting cash as opposed to saving the planet. Or would that qualify as a conspiracy theory?

The whole city?? What about people that are on medical machines or businesses? This is ludicris! Putting people in harm's way to get an unproven political point across.

Originally posted by closettrekkie
The whole city?? What about people that are on medical machines or businesses? This is ludicris! Putting people in harm's way to get an unproven political point across.

I'm sure that the Hospitals and those that require power for medical
care will have generators to provide power for the hour it is off.

And thus it has begun...

There will be a global tax or "carbon credit" imposed on everyone who emits too much CO2, even though people in third countries rely on wood, and coal to get warm and to cook their meals.

What I find interesting is that Germany is supposed to be one of the countries who wants this to happen, except for the fact that there is a deal in Germany in which they will build 20 coal plants soon because they want to stop using nuclear plants.

European Union states agreed earlier this month on a binding 20 percent cut in CO2 emissions by 2020. Yet over 20 coal-fired power plants -- major producers of greenhouse gases -- are planned for Germany.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said measures for protecting the environment are a top priority during her six-month European Union presidency.

Germany and other EU-member states agreed on a binding reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 levels. The EU also proposed a 30-percent cut if other nations followed suit.

There's a hitch, though, for Germany, said Reinhard Loske, a member of the German parliament and climate expert for the Green party parliamentary group: Currently, up to 26 coal-fired power plants -- which would burn either hard (anthracite) or brown (lignite) coal -- are either being built right now or are in the planning stages in Germany.

"If all of those plants end up being installed, there is no way we can reach our climate protection goals for reducing emissions," Loske said.

Coal-fired power plants are one of the biggest producers of greenhouses gases, which scientists have said are primarily responsible for global warming.

www.dw-world.de...


[edit on 26-3-2007 by Muaddib]

\The blackout is voluntary. The electricity will not be turned off. People can sign up.

It helps to actually read the article before you post your oh-so-mighty comments. And here's you calling us idiots!
Boyg, if you read the article, perhaps you would have noticed this line: "We're not asking people to go and live in a cave and eat cold beans; that can't be the way we approach the problem of global warming."

This blackout is a way of getting a message across. You know those big billboards you see? You know, the big signs near the road? They are advertising something. This blackout is also a way of advertising something, but it will be much more effective at getting the message across, and will reach many many more people.

Originally posted by boyg2004
How about some tax breaks for those who can reduce their personal electricity / gas consumptions by a couple of percent per year. Watch all the bulbs in unused rooms across the country get switched off then.

Idiots.

Our government has already introduced tax breaks/subsidies for people to convert or install solar electricity. Alot of new estates have started installing solar when new homes are being built as well as water saving shower nozzles, drip systems instead of sprinklers and low energy bulbs etc.
As for people being idiots for saving some power and raising awareness of power saving measures i think it is far more idiotic to have your head stuck in the sand.

[edit on 3/27/2007 by Classified Info]

Raise awareness on Global warming? I don't think a soul in Australia DOSN'T know what Global warming is.

This is probably the dumbest idea I've ever heard.

Originally posted by PisTonZOR
Raise awareness on Global warming? I don't think a soul in Australia DOSN'T know what Global warming is.

Perhpas in Australia, and in most of Europe, but there are parts of the
world where it is given little if any thought, and places like the United
States where you have idiots in office who ant to deny it, and thusly
create a split country.

This will be something that gets news coverage, and thusly will make
people think about it more.