Maybe my Depression-era grandfather was not cheap. Perhaps, as he stealthily shuffled around the house, turning off lights, and making sure doors and windows were properly shut, he knew something about global warming. Maybe, in trying to save every dime, he was actually teaching the responsibility of conservation.
I considered my grandfather’s antics as I decided to observe Earth Hour tonight (Saturday, March 27) at 8:30. Earth Hour calls for a comparatively easy, symbolic act of conservation, especially when compared to say, applying epoxy to all extraneous shower head water holes, as my grandfather did. Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour is a global call to action to every individual, business and municipality to join together and turn off their lights for one hour in an effort to bring awareness to climate change issues.
Though I rarely make formal plans, I have set two small goals for tonight. My first goal requires blatant disregard for the foremost, non-negotiable house rule — bedtime for children is 7 p.m. I will allow my children to stay up to observe Earth Hour. Then, at 8:25 p.m., I will begin on the first floor, and go from room to room flicking switches until all lights are off. Even all the small, perpetually lit nightlights will be disengaged.
I hope, assuming that I am not enduring the merciless whines of overtired children, to spend the evening with my family and few close friends with candles on the porch. I anticipate my children will want to have a “green” cupcake, which we will have made earlier in the day. They will inevitably request a ghost story, the only activity they associate with darkness.
Over at Farm2Bistro restaurant in Nutley, they’re celebrating Earth Hour with candlelight dining at 8:30 pm.
Are you going to participate? If so, how?
Is Melody Kettle (interesting name there, I’m wonder if she dared call her parents “Ma and Pa”) our beloved mathilda writing under another name? Or at least kinfolk?
Flick the switch tonight
In the darkness pray for jobs
Off shore the lights blaze
Because I already turning off ALL lights, electronics, heat, air and anything that costs and pollutes regularly, I won’t go dark at that hour. (Ask mrs. prof about the prof going ballistic last night as she turned up the heat to “take the chill off” the air- I screamed, “put on a sweatshirt!!”)
I support folks being aware of their consumption (I’m working on getting one of those devices that gives an up-to-the-minute readout of energy use) because despite my right leanings, the prof is an environmentalist (though I don’t believe in global warming).
I just think we don’t need to use, consume and spend so much on energy.
Further, these are personal choices. But unlike too many who scream for the world to change- as they drive SUV’s and air condition/light/heat rooms they do not occupy- actions and what you teach your kids through those actions are more important.
Enjoy the bee-u-tee-full day all!!!!
I’m pleased to tell you that Kettle is not a pseudonym, it is actualy my married name. As such I have never referred to my own parents as Ma or Pa Kettle. However, I am a mom and my initials do spell out M.A. Kettle. As for your last question, I am not a “kinfolk” of Mathilda.
I’d consider boycotting the whole darn thing and watching a live drag race or demolition derby. First I’d check the Nascar website. Then I’d make sure they only use vehicles in serious need of a tune up. I’d round up my good time buddies and head over to the track. We’ll make sure we don’t recycle our beer bottles.
To heck with this socialist green environmental bs.
Y’all jump in your Toyota and head out!
I’m working on getting one of those devices that gives an up-to-the-minute readout of energy use
You might want to read this first: ‘Smart’ meters have security holes.
who cares? I’ll have a beer in the dark and watch the basketball with no lights on the den.
Then in honor of Mathilda I’m going to bury plastic and syrofoam cups in my back yard.
a comparatively easy, symbolic act of conservation
That says it all.
Because I already turning off ALL lights, electronics, heat, air and anything that costs and pollutes regularly…
And you don’t drive a car, prof? Busted!
the prof is an environmentalist (though I don’t believe in global warming).
That’s like being a vegetarian who eats bacon and pork.
Appropriate cynicism.
Huh Roo, what?
So an environmentalist must believe in the (slowly fading) “mountain” of “evidence” that despite best efforts, has seemingly shown that the earth’s warming is questionable?
That’s odd: in what I control and in my actions I care and display great love and devotion to the environment (I compost too), yet because I KNOW that the “hockey stick” graph was faked, that scientist have faked and lied their research, that the the so-called “consensus” is a lie, I can’t be an environmentalist?
But Al Gore who travels the world in private jets, has a home 4 times the size of the American average and uses the more energy than most despite his “offset purchases” (see snopes.com for facts) IS an environmentalist?
Why?
Because he TALKS about the environment?
Unfortunately, he falls in line with all too many liberals with his do as I say, not as I do. (Obama, the smoking health care reformer is another example.)
Lastly, your analogy re: bacon makes no sense.
But I do plan on smoking some ribs tomorrow in your honor.
I wish you good health and bon appetit, prof.
Yesterday, my husband and I and some of our buds from the Essex Running Club participated in our annual spring trail clean up in Verona and Cedar Grove. The litterers did not disappoint this year. DH and I concentrated on just the area just around the tennis courts and we filled two large trash bags.
And no, we did not spot Al Gore.
I really don’t see how turning off the lights for one hour on one day helps. A symbolic gesture, yes, but as prof points out, we should be environmentally conscious for 365 days.
I did not hear about Earth Hour till well after it was over. I’m afraid that I watched TV with several lights on right through the whole thing. Mea culpa.
Humans are too stupid to prevent climate change
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/29/james-lovelock-climate-change
prof, I find your reasoning to be rather odd. It’s heartening to hear that you are a self-proclaimed environmentalist but how puzzling that you don’t believe in climate change. What peer-reviewd article have you read that lead you to reject scientific consensus? Do you know how the peer-review process works? Blogs and armchair deniers aren’t part of the process. Surely, you are not referring to the stolen emails….you’re smarter than that. Drawing the conclusion that there is no evidence of global warming based on some emails taken out of context is like assuming an entire forest is dead because of one dying tree. It’s so strange to me that you and ROC dismiss scientific consensus like it’s some kind of meaningless joke. Seems so arrogant to dismiss decades of work by people who have expertise far beyond your flimsy understanding of climate science based on reading, what, some blogs or right wing media? Curious, very curious.
I like what Adam Frank, an astrophysicist at the University of Rochester wrote:
“When my friend related his story of disappearing ice and lost seal habitat I was struck once again by how many interconnected, interwoven strands of evidence comprise the web of climate change science. It’s not just someone sticking a thermometer out the window every year. Its ocean and atmospheric measurements, its glacier and sea ice data, its rainfall and hydrology studies, its patterns of habitat creation and destruction. All of it – studied intensively for decades by an army of researchers who make their living tearing each other’s results apart – points to the undeniable fact that we have altered the many planetary systems which, together, define its climate.”