Earth Hour, sitting in the dark to enlighten?

reply to post by Nyiah


We already have that observance - Screen-Free Week.

ketsuko
... instead you're sitting on your butt in the dark.

But you're feeling GOOD about yourself. In the dark. Doing nothing.

Imagine if all the butt-sitters were actually DOING something.

reply to post by beezzer


In other words you don't want anyone that drinks coffee to do things that raise awareness about things you don't care about, you don't like or don't think are good ideas.

The idea is to raise the awareness that you don't have to make huge sacrifices to make a significant change.

Kali74
reply to post by beezzer

 

In other words you don't want anyone that drinks coffee to do things that raise awareness about things you don't care about, you don't like or don't think are good ideas.

The idea is to raise the awareness that you don't have to make huge sacrifices to make a significant change.

edit on 3/28/2014 by Kali74 because: (no reason given)

Raise awareness.

Raise awareness = sitting on your ass and doing nothing, but you feel better about yourself.

How about. . . oh. . . I don't know. . . . people actually working on SOLUTIONS!

Raising awareness. What kind of latte-sipping wuss wording is that?

I guess my idea of people spending an hour finding solutions is far dumber than people sitting in the dark feeling good about themselves sitting in the dark.

beezzer
Imagine if all the butt-sitters were actually DOING something.

Indeed...

Each of us can start with ourselves.

Kali74
reply to post by beezzer

 

In other words you don't want anyone that drinks coffee to do things that raise awareness about things you don't care about, you don't like or don't think are good ideas.

The idea is to raise the awareness that you don't have to make huge sacrifices to make a significant change.

edit on 3/28/2014 by Kali74 because: (no reason given)

The chip that rests squarely on my shoulder is the idea that energy is bad. If you drill down to the root belief of the green energy crowd it turns out that clean energy is not of any interest to them.

The issue seems to be that Americans use more energy per capita than elsewhere.

For instance, when I ask such a person whether they would be satisfied if all that energy was produced from clean sources and that it is entirely possible and likely very soon, I get a blank stare. After a moment, the underlying message begins to surface and they begin to itemize all the terrible things that people have done with energy, how our lives have been harmed by technology, etc.

NOT clean energy.

I don't mind having a conversation about the evils of modern technology but, this is a trojan horse.

reply to post by beezzer


You sure been nothin but a fuzzy ball of hate since you got back to the States.
What happened?

Kali74
reply to post by beezzer

 

You sure been nothin but a fuzzy ball of hate since you got back to the States.
What happened?

I'm unfettered by the restraints that the military had previously placed on me.

I'm actually more "liberal" now.

I can encourage and endorse the freedom of gays to marry. I can endorse the laws passed in Colorado and elsewhere. I can call out idiotic movements without restraint.

I can even call for additional movements where things might even get accomplished.

Being in the Army provided an opportunity in exercising restraint. I am no longer burdened by that additional responsibility.

have a read of this Beezzer to calm you down ]

www.icehouse.net...

what would Budda do

To me the biggest cop out is "lets all get together and workout a solution" Like what have the smartest minds across the globe been doing for the past 50 years!

Lets all sit around in the dark and solve the planets energy woes. A monthly sent out by the energy partners is called PER practical energy resources. It's not the fluffy hopes and dreams of a 'green' planet that if we hold hands in the dark this will soon be over and clean energy is here all we have to do is hope.

There is just too much of that going on. As far as renewable energy sources the world has done very little in the past 15 years other than go backwards. There is just not a pie in the sky solution and as soon as people realize that perhaps things can move forward.

The media and the lobbyist for the solar and wind energy producers have dangerously polluted peoples minds that this technology will one day-next week according some-replace fossil fuels and nuclear power around the world.

Bull-The potential of both is maxed out and baring a Newton like breakthrough there both toast. On average-around the entire world-less that 1% of the energy produced is solar or wind.

The first thing that needs to be done is stabilizing the worlds economy which is teetering on the edge of collapse. Then the Earths food supply needs to be stabilized as living harvest to harvest with no room to spare is dangerous to everyone-even in the prosperous West.

Once nations can get to the point that the population can absorb hardships and stop borrowing money from each other that does not exist in any reality then solutions can be started. Reduction of energy uses around the globe must be cut 15% for starters.

You see those are real solutions-not faint hopes of a Herculean discovery floating down from Olympus that will save the planet.

Just like a long time smoker that quits the very minute they stop-they start getting better-and the poison to their system reduces

I will not live to see it but billions will when the planet is FORCED to cut consumption by 30% or the planet will die.

Better get started now. Just look at Beijing-sticking a few windmills in there will not change what 150 years has developed.

reply to post by beezzer

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution." -Albert Einstein

No poetry or art in your soul? Is every bit of symbolism lost on you?

Instead of feeling smug and good about a useless act that does absolutely nothing, how about. . . . for 60 minutes. . . . come up with an idea that is viable, economic, cheap, affordable, saves the planet, provides electricity for everyone around the globe? - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

If everyone who participates in this "environmental masturbation" instead, just put in an hour to brain-storm, we might actually come up with something.

Nothing is worthwhile if it's not something you understand? Anything that isn't all brass tacks and elbow grease is just mental masturbation?

The people of this planet are so much more than you give them credit for. All of us - even the ones you don't understand. I find it very telling that you need to mock people that don't conform to your world view. We are capable of such amazing things. Sometimes it just takes a simple moment of thought and realization....and there is nothing wrong with a symbolic show of unity - even if it doesn't accomplish anything according to your standards

With all of your denouncement and derision and divisiveness towards everything that doesn't fit into your practical, neat and tidy little box of the world according to beezer - maybe you do more harm than you realize

I didn't know about this before - but, now thanks to you I do

It is so lovely - the whole idea

Thanks beezzer

:-)

(By the way - where's your bright idea?)

Seems it's not just coffee hipsters handing themselves trophies (in the dark) for being good boys and girls, though it probably started that way (and yeah, good for them for doing something)... major cities around the world participate by shutting down landmark, monument, skyline lighting for an hour. So it's only one hour a year, maybe as the popularity and all those hipsters needing to feel good about themselves increases, it will grow. Imagine all the energy the planet will save by doing it once a month or once a week, hell why not 30 minutes... once a day? Not to mention the treat of city dwellers being able to see more than a few stars and planets in the sky.

Beezzer, I hope your war with love ends soon.

BBC

Kali74
reply to post by beezzer

 

In other words you don't want anyone that drinks coffee to do things that raise awareness about things you don't care about, you don't like or don't think are good ideas.

The idea is to raise the awareness that you don't have to make huge sacrifices to make a significant change.

edit on 3/28/2014 by Kali74 because: (no reason given)

No, it's a lazy way to make yourself feel good.

You could go out and pick up litter along the side of the road. People will see you and be aware of that, too. That also raises awareness.

This is just about stroking your own ego. No one even sees you doing it. For all they know, you're asleep or not even home.

I have an idea!

Let's all raise awareness of CO2 and how prevalent it is next year. On March 30, 2015, at 1 p.m., we should all stop what we're doing and hold our breath until we pass out!

It'll be awesome, and just that little change in the amount of CO2 being spewed into the atmosphere worldwide can really make a difference, too!!!

reply to post by ketsuko


So, what are you doing?

Lets get some ideas actually going instead of trying to minimize others efforts. ETA: You know, actual ideas that might make an impact.

Otherwise, the hypocrisy and contrarianism seeps through like termites infesting a house.

reply to post by Serdgiam


You do things that actually make a difference.

I thought actions were just that - actions.

I also thought it was just plain common sense not to burn any more lights than you actually need.

And since when did this turn into a "I'm greener than thou" thread? I'm not belittling others, just pointing out that this is really a very pointless exercise. It achieves very little in the grand scheme of things.

ketsuko
reply to post by Serdgiam

 

You do things that actually make a difference.

I thought actions were just that - actions.

I also thought it was just plain common sense not to burn any more lights than you actually need.

And since when did this turn into a "I'm greener than thou" thread? I'm not belittling others, just pointing out that this is really a very pointless exercise. It achieves very little in the grand scheme of things.

I am genuinely asking what your idea is.. I think I have already clearly stated how much I think this will accomplish.

What actions should we take if this type of thing isnt deemed effective? What are you doing that you feel is more effective?

reply to post by Kali74

Seems it's not just coffee hipsters handing themselves trophies (in the dark) for being good boys and girls, though it probably started that way (and yeah, good for them for doing something)...

So true, so true - in fact - from beezzer's link:

With more than 6,950 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories participating, Earth Hour 2012 broke all records and cemented itself as the largest voluntary action for the environment.

Impressive. Especially if you factor in that before change can happen we need awareness. Not for nothing, but marketing for planet earth is about as valuable a time spent as it gets I think

And look! There's more!

Libya Just months after the end of the Libyan uprising, Mohammad Nattah, who wanted to organize an Earth Hour event in 2011, was finally free from fighting in the civil war against Muammar Gaddafi. He contacted us on social media about coordinating Earth Hour in Tripoli. At the same time another youth, Muhammad Bugashata, created the Earth Hour Libya Facebook group. We put them in contact with each other and they ended up planning Libya’s first ever Earth Hour events. With the help of the Scout movement and local businesses, this was the catalyst for the first environmental movement to take place in Libya post–Gaddafi.

Russia WWF Earth Hour team built a petition base of more than 120,000 people to support legislative change on marine protection against oil spills. Using the I Will If You Will challenge platform to promote the petition, the legislation was passed within nine months after seven years of trying.

International Space Station, Outer Space Earth Hour 2012 literally went out of the world to protect the planet, with astronaut André Kuipers observing the global lights off from the International Space Station.

And so much more - once we get past our snobbishness, we can maybe begin to see that people uniting for a cause starts in ways that may not seem so practical at first...No, not at first :-)

Not to mention the treat of city dwellers being able to see more than a few stars and planets in the sky.

Actually Kali- I can see that becoming an actual selling point - there are more than a few of us that miss the stars

Beezzer, I hope your war with love ends soon.

So do I - I think maybe he's just extra cranky - and obtuse - due to feeling all poorly and like that :-)

Feel better beeze

Maybe this will help you to recover and then clue in. Watch it three times and then call us in the morning

reply to post by Spiramirabilis


Actually, myself and a few ragtag bunch of engineers enter this contest every year.

contest.techbriefs.com...

We don't just sit back and act smug, though I guess I could. . . . . . but I don't drink coffee.

reply to post by beezzer

Actually, myself and a few ragtag bunch of engineers enter this contest every year.

contest.techbriefs.com...

We don't just sit back and act smug, though I guess I could. . . . . . but I don't drink coffee.

You're acting smug right now

But, maybe I'm the only one that's noticed

:-)