The Difference an Hour Can Make: Nation Ready for Earth Hour
by
C. L. Cook
It may seem a diminution of the annual Earth Day commemorations held for more than 35 years in April, but the second annual Earth Hour on the 29th day of March has the immediate potential to effect a measurable change.
The difference is one of approach; where the global marches, speeches, concerts, and letter writing events integral to Earth Day are great, besides participation levels on the street, there is little to be tangibly taken away at the end of the day. Earth Hour, by contrast is a direct appeal to everyone, everywhere to synchronize their sentiments, if not their watches, and at the appointed time turn off the juice for an hour.
If all goes accordingly, a dark wave will roll from time zone to
time zone around the planet at 8pm on the 29th. Power usage can be
monitored, and for the first time present a global picture of just how
much electricity is used across the planet, graphically illustrated,
and from that extrapolations can be made to determine what the
generation of that power requires.
More than a unique
opportunity to gauge our collective power use, Earth Hour also provides
us the chance to get together and recognize ourselves as a single
global community, capable of common action determined to ameliorate,
for one day at least, a portion of the demands our modern way of life
make on the planet.
In Canada, federal, provincial, and
municipal governments are partnering with business, unions, and
grassroots organizations to maximize the benefits of the hour long
recess in business as usual. Dalton McGuinty, premier of Ontario,
Canada's most industrious province, has signed on for the event that
will see Toronto, the country's biggest city joining with other world
capitals to turn out the lights.
McGuinty urged other jurisdictions to follow Toronto, and Ontario's lead, saying;
* "If we can do it for one hour of one day in one year, surely there
are other things that we can do around the house and through our
businesses to reduce our use of energy."
From capital city,
Ottawa, an ebullient city mayor, Larry O'Brien talked up its progress
to a meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce, saying;
*
"The event was such a sparkling success that it not only attracted more
than 2,100 businesses and 2.2 million participants and doubled their
reduction target, but their collective effort resulted in the
equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road."
Adding;
- "We can all do our part, not only to reduce electricity consumption
but also to send a very powerful message to the world, that as a city,
Ottawa is serious about the business of the environment."
Individuals
and businesses can go to the Earth Hour website to get more information
on the event, and discover ways to participate at: www.earthhour.org.
The
Toronto Star newspaper has comprehensive coverage of the event and
issues at hand on their website, at:
http://www.thestar.com/earthhour.
