doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

If you'd like to contribute to the future of our planet and our kids, consider turning off all power sources in 20 minutes. Earth hour will take place from 8:30 to 9:30 EST. Small things for better futures...

David.

AndyKunz

You know what havoc that would wreak on the power system if everybody did it?!?! The power system of our country (and those of our neighbors, and elsewhere across the planet) works most efficiently under a constant load. The system depends upon changes happening slowly AND predictably.

If everybody did this, it would really screw stuff up. Whoever dreamed this one up never bothered to look into how the utility network actually operates!

Somebody better tell Algore to take his SUV parade down to his personal jet so he can fly to Brussels and tell the world it's really a bad idea.

Andy

flysrc

Now that all lights are off in the world i can do the laundry, turn on the A/C, turn up the electric heat knowing I'll get a good rate and not over do the grid. AT least I can surf the net and watch Hockey night in canada. A canadian tradition. GO LEAFS!!!

Dave

Taurus Flyer

Gents,
Be careful to keep the thread on topic, we have more visitors now.
My environmental friendly investment was the balsa sawmill on my workshop, you can turn off the power now.

Cees

klhoard

My Feedback: (10)

Geeze, I would think more people would realize what a hoax this all was.  Just a symbiotic relationship between "scientists" who couldn't get funding doing research the right way and politicians who, well, were just politicians. . .
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Last "Earth Hour" had some people go to al gore's mansion in Nashville to observe his actions . . . no lights were dimmed at his estate, not even the mega-watt floodlights.

KLXMASTER14

Don't get me started...........................

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Gents,

I didn't expect such pessimism all around from our group. It is actually a rather simple thing to do. It's not about efficiency or Al Gore or about the grid. It's about turning off a few lights that are not in use, being conscious of what we do. Earth hour is simply an excuse actually, not necessarily a good one, to be more conscious of our habits and "consume" a little less. Electricity is actually a rather delicate subject in this province since we produce perhaps 1/3 of what's used in North America and I might add at a fairly high cost. Consumption is perhaps at the crux of our current state of affairs, but this is politics which we won't engage in since this is classic pattern.

I just thought I'd make a post about my plans to lite some candles and cork a good bottle of wine - it was actually a pretty nice evening all considered. Heck, I'm sure we've been whittling wood since before electric power.

David.

stuntflyr

It was a nice gesture, David. Thanks.
Since the jet I fly burns a thousand gallons an hour, I try to do my part and go to work as little as possible!
Chris...

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Chris,

Thanks for the appreciation.

David

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

The amount of energy the entire world uses in a year is equal to the suns output in half a nanosec. That is the time it takes light to travel 6 inches. Dimming the lights for 20 minutes is just dim.

klhoard

My Feedback: (10)

We both have that in common with al gore in his G5 . . .
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Oh yeah, he buys "carbon credits'. . . another joke . .
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doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Nuclear fusion accounts for exactly noght percent of the energy used by the planet (thus far). Any energy derived from the sun is generated from secondary radiation.

However, looking at things another way, the planet consumes about 10^12 Joules each second. In an hour (it is called Earth hour after all, not "Earth 20 minutes")) that's 10^16 Joules which is about the energy released by 1 Megaton of TNT. In other words, in an hour the world could save the amount of energy released by a Hydrogen bomb capable of doing away with several million lives... I'd say that might be worth considering.

Actually, getting a little fancy, it's also about the same amount of energy contained in 1 kg of antimatter. If we could redirect one hour of world energy savings to research on a yearly basis, we would probably no longer need oil or hydroelectric power (granted, stabilizing antimatter is somewhat expensive). Research aside, with those funds one could probably eradicate famine in the world. But then again, that's politics so scientists needn't apply.

AndyKunz

I'm all for saving and conservation, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do it.

Encouraging a significant portion of the AC consumption to stop for a short period of time is NOT the right way to do it. The repercussions could easily consume way more power than was "saved."

Habitually using less IS.

Andy

burtona

My Feedback: (50)

I want to use more.
More electricity because it should be abundent and cheap and I can take advantage of the conveniences it brings!
I want to use more fuel so I can travel more and see places I haven't seen yet!
I want to go to more pattern contest further away because fuel should be abundent and cheap!
It would happen if our governments would get policy and taxes out of the way and let the marketplace determine supply and demand!
OK, Off the soap box......

fcomer84

Uh, just asking. Is it OK to turn my power back on now?

dreadnaut

My Feedback: (5)

What I don't get is "What part of 5 million years worth of carbon trapped below ground released into the atmosphere in the last hundred years, don't they understand". Since many of them believe the earth is only six thousand years old, I won't waste my time arguing.

I do agree that the lights out thing is a bit of ineffective symbolism. I do my part by making my 45 mile (each way) daily commute by commuter train and light rail, and taking my planes to the field in my surprisingly roomy, 32 mpg, Pontiac Vibe (So long NUMMI, it was a great ride[] )