Did they have to make it during COPS? (Kidding. Sort of. Eric is not pleased. Nor am I, but I refuse to admit it.)
28th March 2008
Are you shutting off the lights tomorrow?
It’s Earth Hour between 8-9 p.m. Residents and corporations around the world are turning off their power to make a statement about climate change.
Almost every municipality and many businesses in Durham are participating. I’m dying to see whether the Region shuts off the eye glaring, power-sucking lights of their monstrous parking garage and headquarters at Rossland Rd. and Garden St. in Whitby. Everytime I drive by at night, that corner is absolutely shining. I bet the residents who live behind the lot will love it.
We will of course be participating. Already got the candles and bbq lighter ready to go. I’ve told Eric that watching COPS in the dark does not count. Which sucks ’cause this weekend’s new episode has spike strips and foot pursuits and helicopters.
*sigh*
Possibly related posts:
Does it count if I watch COPS on the small TV with the volume turned down really low?
The Region cannot shut off the power to lights in the parking garage due to liability. Ie/ someone is assaulted while the lights are off etc. I believe they are going to turn down the lights — but cannot turn them off.
As a woman — I definitely appreciate the policy (even if it’s not Earth Hour friendly).
Point well taken, Cynthia. Thanks for that.
I still feel bad for the residents who live behind the building, however, who have all that glare permanently in their houses. You’d think they could just shut down the parking garage from, like, 10 p.m. to 5 or 6 a.m. to avoid the issue.
Actually, for once I am taking Eric’s side (*gasp*)
Earth Hour technically only stipulates turning the lights off. I’m sure they are implying we use as little energy as possible during that hour, however, I simply can’t go one hour without tv or lights. If I had no tv, I would need lights to read. If I have no lights, I would need tv. We’ll be doing no lights, with tv.
I’ve decided to make an impact in other ways as well. I vow, for the entirety of the day, to not vaccuum, to do no laundry. In fact, I’m not even going to cook!
Yah.. the Region building has people in it that come and go at all hours of the nite..too bad they couldnt specify or keep open only a section for those who do that though (although that makes it easier again for those whose minds work in creepy ways)
and I guess cuz I dispatch “Cops” I dont mind not watching it haha pursuits and the helicopter (rode in it yay ! me !) dont do anything for me on days off
on the earth note .. we plan on turning it all off .. i wonder how many babies will be made in that time ? LOL our kids will be in bed ! what else is there to do in the dark ?
Jen, you could read books by candlelight!
Jen O – My 10 year old said to me last night, “Mom, we are supposed to turn off the lights for an hour on Saturday night. They said so at school.* So I guess that means we’ll be watching TV in the dark, huh?”
When I told him that I think that we’re supposed to turn off everything “to help the environment” he returned with “Well if everybody else has their stuff off then it shouldn’t be too bad if we have ours on.”
For any teachers out there, who are “they”? How do “they” at school have so much power over my child? Most importantly, can “they” tell my child that it is very important to pick up his dirty socks?
Eric/Carly – Sit in the dark and watch your show. I get annoyed if I have to miss some episodes of my favourite shows. Keep the lights off all evening and then you will have made up for the power used while watching your TV show. We have been invited to a “fondue” party by candlelight at a neighbour’s house – such a great idea! I don’t know why I didn’t think of such an outing. I’m sure that we will have a great time with good friends/neighbours.
We’re visiting friends in Ottawa this weekend so the lights in our house will definitely be off. Planning to go around and unplug a lot of things before we leave, too. I’m hoping our friends we’re visiting will be doing the Earth Hour thang, too. We’re taking flashlights up with us just in case. Much as I like the idea of candlelight, I’m not sure it’d be a good idea in a house with a bunch of preschoolers in it.
GO FOR IT LUCY’S DAD………..
For the record, we did watch tv and I’m not going to apologize for it. To make up for it, we kept the lights off until we went to bed, not just for the hour.
And the Earth Hour website said the point wasn’t to turn everything off, the point was to prove what an impact something as simple as turning the lights off for one hour makes.
At the last minute, we elected to participate in “Earth Hour” from 7:30 until 8:30pm. Managing a candlelit bath/book/bedtime with our two daughters (younger than 3), was adventurous. We suffered a ‘knee into the doorframe’ casualty, and a near ‘octopus towel in the flame’ disaster but in all, it was exciting to realize how completely unprepared we would be in the event of a blackout. Dora and Princess flashlight purchases are on our agenda for today…
Eric watched COPS in the dark. I sat at the kitchen table and worked on my cookbooks by candlelight.
It was nice, actually. Very peaceful in my corner of the house. Really, it was all about the political statement, right? Because at that time of night on a typical Saturday, we’d only have two compact fluorescent lamps on, plus the television.
It felt good to be part of such a grand thing. We had lots of fun spying on the neighbours to see who was participating, too. We boo-ed and shook our fists in the dark (ok, maybe that was just me, while Eric rolled his eyes from the couch).
Sorry to comment so late but I am just catching up on all the reading. It has been a hectic week at work so far. Grandma said she was watching the hockey game and David Suzeki (I know I spelled that wrong) came on and said it was Ok to leave the TV on but to turn off your lights. Based on that we watched TV in the dark for the entire night.