Environment

Earth Hour Eve March 27th: Lights Out for Climate Change Action

by Tomitheos Linardos | March 6, 2010 at 02:26 pm

774 views | 29 Recommendations | 5 comments

Earth Hour is on March 27th, 2010 at 8:30 to 9:30 PM EST, 60 minutes during which millions of people around the world will turn off their lights to promote action on climate change issues.

The event originated in Sydney Australia in 2007 when 2 million Aussies turned off non-essential electrical appliances on cue.

Since then, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has been organizing the Earth Hour event around the world.

Anything from taking public transit to work to lighting candles or hanging laundry to dry makes a difference.

It also creates solidarity that sends a message to legislators and policy makers who need to be reminded that climate change has to be a top priority for the planet.

We have more energy than we need.

Ontario Exporting Too Much Energy?

A report released this week by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance (OCAA) states that, on average, the Canadian province produces 25% more electricity than peak summer demand estimates.

Meanwhile, Toronto's surplus energy is sold to the USA while coal-fired plants are choking the GTA. Coal fumes, nitrogen dioxide, and airborne particulates from above-limit vehicle exhaust emissions are related to acute and long-term respiratory health problems.

Knock out coal by 2010 because climate change can't wait..

Restoring Grasslands Part of the Solution

Lush grasslands nurture topsoil and remove CO2 from the air and in some cases they do so more effectively than trees in forests. Cows raised on grasslands produce 20 percent less methane than cows raised on livestock feedlots and that minimizes damage to the environment and effects of climate change.

Studies show that livestock raised on lush, rotating grass pastures are also healthier. In British Columbia, grasslands have been used for livestock grazing for over 150 years and native grass species have been lost or removed.

Urban development and the prevalence of railway lines and highways alter the natural layout of the land and make reseeding these areas more difficult.

..grassland ecosystems have become more endangered than coastal old growth forests.

These pressing environmental issues count more every day as the clock ticks closer to Earth Hour at the end of this month.

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Amy Judd

at 14:48 on March 6th, 2010

I forgot Earth Hour was approaching, I always take part and I know it's only an hour, but I think it's important that everyone takes part.

Tomitheos Linardos

at 14:50 on March 6th, 2010

Thanks Amy, I agree and I want to do more this year than just turn off the lights, I plan to make the entire day a low energy eco-friendly day.

Sam Paterson (not verified)

at 13:58 on March 8th, 2010

Come on people wake up climate change is one big con by governments to raise tax and guess what government is ahead off the pack you guess it british we as a nation are taxed to the hilt and low and behold they have come up with the answer to there prayer's climate change i wonder what boffine was paid to doctor the facts we are all going to boil on earth and be sunk with sea levels what a load of crap, come and stay in scotland and you will freeze your ass off does this sound like the planet is heating up and what is causing the planet to heat up not you or i but the government will have you beileve it, or have they forgot surly not all the nukes they have let off over the years this is the cause but governments will not put their hands up and admit it they, have found mugs like us to blame now the cop out is we all waste energy so we all have to go green, and to go green they have to tax us this line's the pockets of the currupt mps in westminster and buys them 3millon pound houses, are the public mugs i think so,ask one question from any boffine prove climate change not one of them can do it so why are they taxing us for it when they have absolutely no prove,at all climate change is happening,the answer is TAX.

Joycelyn

at 23:23 on March 28th, 2010

I'm glad that lots of people around the globe are now willing to participate on Earth hour. A total doofus could do a little something for Earth Hour - all you have to do is switch off all the lights and appliances (within reason - I am not turning off the fridge, that's just stupid) or not drive a auto from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on the 27th of March. That's pretty easy. Think of it as making payday advances out to the Earth - if it actually does help offset climate change or global warming, then it isn't as if it hurts you to do it. Heck, turning the lights out may even motivate people to do something fun with the spouse that does not revolve around American Idol.

Tomitheos Linardos

at 10:39 on April 18th, 2010

thank you for your comments on Earth Hour

hmm.. it seems that the recent cover of Now magazine in Toronto news stands (April Earth Day issue) has duplicated this March Earth Hour picture of my hand under my painting of the Earth, Africa is also in the center of their cartoon version of the Earth globe suspended over a hand: www.nowtoronto.com just like Africa is in the center in my painting... coincidence? LOL