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Me too... really upset as I run a rainbows group (TINY BROWNIES!) on a friday night and we are always trying to do things like this with them!!! They would have loved it and what a great way of sending a message home with every one of them!!! I think we might do it next week!

Also I too am cross we didn't know about it!! we will do it tonight at 9pm I think!

Google were promoting it though. They had a black background for the day and a link to the Earth Hour website. I'm sure plenty of people found out about it through that.

I thought my computer was up the swanny and kept huffing at it that it wouldn'y load Google properly!! In the end resorted to Yahoo search engine!!!

Yes we took part here in NZ, it was good fun and really cosy and nice to just have a few candles lit.

Just noticed I'm Barbara Good ... thank goodness for that, I felt a bit strange being Tom.

forgive my ignorance (and yes, I can feel the evil stares already...) but what is turning lights off for just one hour on one day really going to do? It just seemed like a bit of a publicity stunt? I know it's meant to "represent" what we can do.... but surely efforts would be better fuled by doing something lasting?
Any ideas? I really don't mean to belittle anyone's efforts because everything is commendable... but it kinda seemed to me like an easy way of saying "we're helping climate change" by some people who would usually, and probably after the event, not usually bother to help in any way (not everyone, as displayed here many people are putting real effort into it). Again I don't mean to offend anyone but...any further thoughts?

inclined to agree with you Niki. would it not make sense to go to bed an hour earlier than usual.. save the lecky.. without sitting in the dark?

Ah see, I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I do agree that green issues should be put firmly into the public eye more than it is (without being irritating as I see some of the "solutions" just get annoying after a time...) but I do sometimes feel that there's a sense of "band-wagon-jumping" going on.... especially to raise political profile of certain people.

If making a lasting impact is/was the intention.... how about doing something about the standby button?

My impression was that it wasn't intended to make a significant dent in energy consumption or have a lasting impact, but that it was largely symbolic and about making a statement. I guess it's up to you what you feel the point of that is.

hamster wrote:My impression was that it wasn't intended to make a significant dent in energy consumption or have a lasting impact, but that it was largely symbolic and about making a statement.

I agree. And it's terribly presumptious to presume that participants of Earth Hour don't do their part each and every day.

Just my tuppence worth...

hedgewitch wrote:And it's terribly presumptious to presume that participants of Earth Hour don't do their part each and every day.

Just my tuppence worth...

I suspect that most people that took part are already making changes in their every day life. I also suspect there is a large number who took part, yet have some terrible energy consuming habits.

Should also not assume that those that did not take part dont do their part each and every day.
I'm a little wary of symbolic gestures.. on one hand it can spread the message, and make a big difference. on the other it can sometimes make people feel that they have 'done something', whilst not changing much.
however, each to their own decision.

Oh I really didn't want people to think that I don't believe people that took part do not do their part every days because I know there is a great number of us that are trying to change their lives for the good of the planet, sorry if this sounded a little off hedgewitch!

I agree with red though, I too am wary of symbolic gestures which is why I pitched the question in the first place! Sorry for any confusion!

Super.Niki wrote: sorry if this sounded a little off hedgewitch!

No no no - didn't sound off at all - I was just looking at the other point of view - guess you, me and red all were.
LOL!

I liked the joke Rove made last week:
What were the majority of Sydney residents doing when all the lights were off for Earth Hour?
They were out hosing off their driveways while the neighbours couldn't see them! :)

RBG wrote:I liked the joke Rove made last week:
What were the majority of Sydney residents doing when all the lights were off for Earth Hour?
They were out hosing off their driveways while the neighbours couldn't see them! :)

More than likely!