Earth Hour

This year's Earth Hour was pretty well-received. Big organisations like retail outlets, hotels, and many households took part (though the inverse is also true).

And restaurants also happily cashed in on the candlelight dinners. A bright light in a gloomy ecocomy.

Though it is said that the mass participation has created an awareness that we are ready to fight for Gaia, but my feel is that this is just another one-hour remember-and-forget event.

Those who have really switched off non-essential lights and switches on 28 March, during the 8.30-9.30pm, will probably be glad that they have "done their part" and switch the lights back on at 9.30pm.

It takes more to save the Earth. Till the day that everyone can live like cavemen or live entirely on natural energy (eg. solar powered generators), its only a matter of time before we become the "dinosaurs" of our own destruction.

You may cease to live before the Earth heats up. Your kids or your grandkids might end up being the recipients of these "toxic assets". But heck, most of us are so caught up with the luxuries that come with electricity, who cares about the future?

We live day by day, complaining because life is never perfect.
We take things for granted, and ask "Why" instead of "Why not".
We expect someone else to lead the charge, but playdown our contribution because "I am only one person".

Ask not what the Earth can do for you.
Ask what you have done for the Earth.
Other than that meaningless one-hour.

One of the greatest thing about the current financial recession, is that economic activities slowed down a big deal. Factories that used to run for 24 hours a day are reducing their runtime to 12 hours. Oil production and consumption is down as the OPEC (the POOKING oil cartel) reduce their supplies to manage the prices.

A wild thought, but hey, maybe the guys who brought the economy to their feet, those who do structured products, Madoff-type of Ponzi schemes, and Insurance industries etc... are actually infiltrates from the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) out to sabotage the economy to save the Earth.

So back to the Earth Hour, Wifey and I were at home during that hour, and she switched off all the lights. She spent the hour gazing at other neighbouring blocks to see how many have done the same, and probably to enjoy the silence of the night.

Me? I was in a room opening the lights, turning on the fan, and ironing all the clothes. It's not that I do not want to show my part for Earth Hour, but I just felt like getting my clothes ironed at that hour.

Subsequently, I made a new resolution - to stop bathing with the heater. Just cold shower everyday for the rest of my life.

365 days without hot shower is much better than 1 silly Earth Hour a year.

About the Author: Shingo T sleeps and wake up early, and that is also a way to reduce usage of lights.