Earth Hour 2008, it’s a start

As the sun set around the planet last night, so too did a symbolic ‘setting sun’ take place for one hour to signify our understanding of what life would be like if we did not have electricity to light our homes and commercial districts.

For the second year, civilization, beginning in Auckland, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia and continuing across the Asian continent and through Europe and Africa lit candles instead of light bulbs in a show of solidarity with the Earth.

North and South America dimmed the lights from Nova Scotia to Times Square to Las Vegas to the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco.

Earth Hour 2008, promoted by the World Wildlife Fund and the Sydney Morning Herald, was embraced by people across all walks of life and political boundaries. The demonstration is an attempt to bring about a greater awareness of our dependence on electricity, which the production of contributes to carbon emissions, and is estimated to have reduced electricity consumption in Sydney by between 2% and 10% for that hour.

Estimates of carbon dioxide reduction vary greatly. In 2007, the Bangkok Post claimed 102 tons were saved, the WWF put the figure at 41.6 tons. Toronto Canada claims it saved close to 500 tons. Separate studies show the savings was much less. No matter what figures you subscribe to, anytime we can reduce electricity dependence we are reducing carbon output.

Some critics say the timing of the event, so close to sunset, negates its advantages and that photographs and figures are manipulated to embellish the effectiveness of the event.

It is estimated that the entire world emits around 27 billion tons of CO2 each year, through transportation, electricity use, deforestation. Americans have the biggest annual carbon footprint at 20 tons, each. That works out to about 6 billion tons from the U.S. alone based on population statistics as of July 2007. Critics say that turning off electrical appliances for one hour is not going to have much effect on our overall damage.

Critics be damned. The event took place and will take place again next year. This represents action instead of talk. We were only asked to give one hour. If the critics would rather find fault in every attempt to reverse our detrimental effects on this planet then they are going to do it no matter what. This is something that needs to be supported. We need to show our unity towards a commitment to finding a solution to climate change.

This years event was a greater success than last years and I am sure next years event will bring more participation. And along the way other events will take place that will lead to yet others, and so on. Collectively, every event adds to a positive momentum to reduce our dependence and increase our awareness of the problem. We can make a difference, and we will, with or without the naysayers.

The first step in finding a solution has been taken, and that is admitting there is a problem, i.e. global warming does exist. Now politicians, always a few steps behind, need to be convinced. The next step is doing something effective. We enjoy showing off our ‘greenness’ by changing our light bulbs or shunning plastic water bottles and shopping bags or turning our lights off for one hour, but these actions alone are not going to reverse the mess we have created. We need to convince politicians and corporate leaders that issues such as the search for alternative energy, development of sustainable living practices, and climate change are the most pressing issues for our future.

Earth Hour is just a start but I am still asking Are We Green Yet?

Sources:

WWF Earth Hour

Toronto’s the Star.com

Time magazine

CNN Planet in Peril