Earth Hour Fast Approaches... Will You Be Taking Part?
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
March 28, 2009 2:08pm CST
I realise those of our friends in Australia and on the far side of the World have already done their bit towards saving the Earth's energies, but our time, in England, is yet to come!
At 8.30 tonight, which is in about an hour and a half's time, I will be closing down all my power for an hour, in contribution towards saving the Earth's energies. If everybody in the world follows suit for one hour, the savings are tremendous.
I shall be lighting my candles, and using my laptop in battery mode for my part. I love candlelight anyway... if only we didn't have to take away from the Earth in order to have light... wouldn't that be great?The United States will start some four or five hours later, I guess. I would love to be hovering above the surface of the Earth, and the U.S.A. as darkness sweeps across the country according to time zones. As one zone's lights come back on, the next go off. That would be a fantastic site to watch.
So, what are you doing for Earth Hour? Will you be taking part? Will you sleep, read by candlelight, or like me, use your battery laptop? I'm kind of looking forward to it. Our clocks go forward at 2 a.m. as well, as we start summer daylight, so henceforth, we shall be saving an hour a day at least, throughout the summer months.
5 people like this
18 responses
@Darkwing (21583)
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28 Mar 09
There's a story behind the laptop, my friend. I have all the info about it in the Den... didn't you see it? ha ha ha.
Thank you for joining in though, Gabs. When you think about how much energy is saved throughout the world with millions of people joining in, it must amount to massive savings.
Brightest Blessings. Hope you're feeling much better and love to Mel. xxx
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@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
28 Mar 09
No I didn't read as I have not been around that much I have won my Battle though with the Doctor I am going under a Lung Consultant again thank goodness, I have never been sick for so long with this so she is referring me back to a Lung Consultant
Mel has gone home today she is back at work on Monday
xxxxxxx
@Darkwing (21583)
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28 Mar 09
Good news about the consultant. It's not before time! Oh, that week went very quickly... I've lost track of the days lately, lol. You look after yourself. I'll try to get up sometime during the next few months but have a few things to get straightened out first. Di's birthday today and Tony's last week, and soon it will be Easter, so sometime after that, all being well.
Hard typing on these things innit? lol.
Take care, Sweetheart. xxx
1 person likes this
@cjforeverknight (427)
• United States
29 Mar 09
All my power will be out for an hour except for my computer. Which I try everyday to use very little power. I go behind my family & turn off power to different things in my home. And when I am alone at home the only thing that is on is my computer. But once 10 p.m. gets here I am gonna clean on my house while my husband is at work. I did a few chores during daylight hours but I did not vacuum for he was sleeping.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
That's good my friend. Every little helps, and the more people that just switch off their lights, the more energy is saved. There are millions of people taking part around the globe, each for one hour. Imagine what a colossal number of hours of energy are being saved, just in that one hour. It's almost beyond comprehension, but very good for our planet.
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution both to the Earth and to this discussion.
@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
If you're in bed then I guess your lights will be off my friend. I know you've been in summer daylight time for a couple of weeks. We're well behind you now. It used to be one weeks difference but the government had to go push it back a week, didn't they? If they could stop it altogether, they would!
@DuoMaxwell (953)
• United States
29 Mar 09
OH CRAP!!! It's almost time! I only have about 10 minutes left, so i'll be quick and precise:
Even in my parent's house (until I move next year) i'll be participating in Earth Hour, but instead of living in complete darkness i'll switch to rechargeable battery power instead, but only in my room and the bathroom. Good thing I recharged most of my batteries, and earlier last night I opened up my second universal laptop battery that I got on St. Patrick's Day at Office Depot. It's fully charged, and i'm prepared to use my battery-powered LED lanterns as an alternative form of light just as I did during that winter power outage that i've been through earlier this month. Whenever a loss of power takes place, I always take a relaxing bath to regain my sanity and have a place to think.
After all, this is going to be great practice for when I get my own place and a good way of saving money on electricity and utilities. Earth Hour is a stepping stone to that path. Also, it's a way of acknowledging and respecting the methods of portable energy, and even renewable energy. As I said in another post, practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to going green and saving green.
2 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
You're right in all respects my friend. We not only save the Earth's energies being used up so quickly, we also save on our personal, household bills. Solar would be a good move, I think... if only we all changed over, the Earth would soon replenish its energies and get back into balance. There are lots of ways of heating and lighting the home without using the Earth's energies, and I commend the way you're going about doing so.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution both to our planet and this discussion.
@mummymo (23706)
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28 Mar 09
Oh Darkeing I hadn't realised - now I feel bad that I have missed it! Mind you I do try to save energy where I can, if I am the only one home I won't have heating on I will stay under the covers instead etc and I don' have lots of lights on etc. I am going to have to make up for this somehow! xxx
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@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
I wouldn't think it matters one iota if you do it late, my friend. It's just that you get a sort of atmosphere when you know everybody else is doing it with you. It's a bit like Christmas Eve, come early, with all the candles and stuff! 
I'm trying to save on electricity too. Everything's on Economy 7 anyway, and all my bulbs are energy savers, but still, I like to contribute. It's for our kids, and future generations, after all!
Brightest Blessings, my dear friend and thank you for your contribution. Don't forget to put your clocks forward tonight! 
xx
I'm trying to save on electricity too. Everything's on Economy 7 anyway, and all my bulbs are energy savers, but still, I like to contribute. It's for our kids, and future generations, after all!
Brightest Blessings, my dear friend and thank you for your contribution. Don't forget to put your clocks forward tonight! xx
@jazzsue58 (2666)
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29 Mar 09
I thought I was the last person in the country to still have Economy 7! Except mine is 'Uneconomy 24/7' because it seems to be dearer than the conventional tarriff.
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@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
28 Mar 09
I am not clear about what time it will be for me. In my part of the US the darkening has not been promoted very heavily. Should we all be doing so simultaneously (which would look awesome from space) or at 8:30 p.m. our own time?
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@Darkwing (21583)
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28 Mar 09
It's 8.30 to 9.30 your local time, my friend. It will work out simultaneously across the United States, which is why I would love to see it from above the Earth's surface. They usually have an ariel video of the lights going off in different parts of the world. I have one on my website, but I'll go and look it out and put a link in here.
Brightest Blessings, and thank you for your contributions both in the discussion and Earth Hour.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
29 Mar 09
I will not be taking part. God is in charge, so I will keep the lights on that we use. Besides I do not believe that the earth is getting Warm, In fact it is getting colder. Oh if you want to see someplace where there is no global warming, you could have tried living here in Manitoba all winter. It came early in October and in December we were 40 below.
One has to be sensible and since I need reading glasses and do not suffer from near-sightedness as the ones who suggested Earth Hour, I will keep our lights and our Tv on and not let fear mongers who want us to go back to the stone age, influence me.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
I don't believe in global warming either my friend, but what I do know is that we're taking the energies out of the Earth at a much faster rate than they're being replenished, which is throwing the planet off balance. I'm a great believer in putting back what we take out of the Earth. I know Mother Nature will do her work, but there's no harm in us helping her since we have the greatest gift we could ever want in nature.
It's your parogative my friend. Whatever you believe is fine with me, but I feel I've done my bit for another year and one hour is nothing out of a lifetime of taking, to my mind. Brightest Blessings and thank you for your honest opinion, which I respect, my friend. xx
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
29 Mar 09
Thanks. I am the sort of person that believes in moderation, and the waste not, want not philosophy. And also that we should not feel guilty for having so much. Most of us, at least we are, very careful about keeping our lights off in rooms where we are not in, and not using hot water when we could use cold or lukewarm, and not leaving the stove on, and not running the car all the time. And we all should not feel guilty because we live in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and the countries that have more. The trouble is in distribution and that these alternative energies are not cheap enough.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
29 Mar 09
We took part in Earth hour and turned off all our lights, lit our candles but still watched tv. We turned off our laptops too. I took a peek outside to see if others were taking part and out of the many apartments, I only saw 4 take part.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
I guess by turning off your lights and laptops you saved quite a bit of energy my friend. Not only did you help the cause but you saved yourself a little bit on the utility bill! 
I looked out of my window and although there are not an awful lot of homes in view, only one appeared to have switched off their lights. Brightest Blessings, and thank you for your contribution, my friend.
I looked out of my window and although there are not an awful lot of homes in view, only one appeared to have switched off their lights. Brightest Blessings, and thank you for your contribution, my friend.
@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
It's voluntary everywhere my friend. Yes, the governments and big companies take part... I don't think for publicity but more to make their stand, so that the general public will take not and maybe follow. The lights on the Houses of Parliament were concentrated on here, as were the lights on Sydney Opera House. Those two in themselves, use a great amount of energy. Our little bit counts too, as it all mounts up. Imagine the number of hours of power saved by the millions of people all around the world following suit!
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution both in here and towards the good of our planet, my friend.
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
29 Mar 09
Did my part and instead of watching tv i came here..
and noticed you wrote this and let you know how much we all need to do our part on this..love it when we all can get together but hope i made enough brownies..lol..
and noticed you wrote this and let you know how much we all need to do our part on this..love it when we all can get together but hope i made enough brownies..lol..1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
Brownies? Boy, I missed that... I must have been switched off at the time you made those... any left? 
There was a lot about it on the TV when I went to bed. I think the whole idea has grown greatly since the first one started in Australia, I think a couple of years back. Yes, it's great when a whole lot of people join together to do their bit... I find it quite exciting!
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution both to the planet and to this discussion.
There was a lot about it on the TV when I went to bed. I think the whole idea has grown greatly since the first one started in Australia, I think a couple of years back. Yes, it's great when a whole lot of people join together to do their bit... I find it quite exciting!
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution both to the planet and to this discussion.
@jazzsue58 (2666)
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29 Mar 09
I didn't know about this, but I'm pretty 'green' anyway - I love to type by candlelight and find artificial light too much for my eyes. At present I've got a couple of church altar candles lit. My new neighbour shyly asked where I'd bought them, thinking I was a member of some secret sect I suppose.
I had to own up and tell her - Tescos!
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@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
Ha ha ha... I get mine in the candle shop in Burgess Hill! They're not too expensive, but you can get them anywhere, anyway. I'm pagan, my friend, so I always have a lot of candles in and yes, often at dusk, I light them to save putting the electric light on for another hour or so. I try to be careful with the use of power.
I'm surprised you hadn't heard about Earth Hour... it's in your face as soon as you sign into Yahoo... ha ha ha.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution, my friend.
@jazzsue58 (2666)
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29 Mar 09
It must be something in the water round here ... my eldest is a bit of a goth with Wiccan tendencies. She took me to the vitality show yesterday - lots of alternative stalls devoted to crystals, tarot reading, feng shui etc. Her friend is a full-blown Wiccan princess, so she got the tickets free!
Um. What was I doing at 8pm? Still quivering slightly from the effects of the John Lewis fitness shop and its 'wobble boards.' ALL the equipment there burned enough electricity to light up Bournemouth! Sorry to say, I was travelling on a very electrically powered train back to Gatwick, too. Shame on me.
Still, I lit my candles at Earth Time plus seven, and slept soundly to Dreams of Lovecraft. Although really, you need black drippy candles to read the Necronomicon properly.
@jheLaichie (4438)
• Philippines
23 Apr 09
earth hour... yes im taking part of it... because i value our nature and the way it should be... my helping out in simple yet productive things that could not be a hazard or danger to our environment then ill go for it... i love mother earth... and im hoping others would love it, most!
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
28 Mar 09
I think it'll be pretty hard to participate, where we are. We live in the basement, and there are no above ground windows in here. It'll be pitch black if we do this at night. If we were able to do it in the morning or something, it would be a different story, but not when it's possibly getting dark. Mind you there are times during the day when we both have the lights off in here, so we don't have them on all day anyway.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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28 Mar 09
Maybe you could participate by turning off your TV for an hour or something then? Every little helps, my friend. It's a pity you don't have some candles to burn whilst the lights are off, but I'm sure there's some way in which you can contribute if it's just turning off the TV.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your interest. Take care!
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
28 Mar 09
yes I will be participating turning down the electricty (I still have to heat) but all the lights and tv computer etc will be off for one hours. I also wrote an article and published it on ac and in my newsletter for people to be aware of earth hour.
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@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
Well done Rose. Yes, I put a video and stuff in my website and I warned them all in capital letters that the time was coming! ha ha ha. It worked, so that's a good thing I guess. Sometimes, you have to get behind peeps and jog their memories.
Of course you need the heating on where you are. That's understandable, but as I've said to others... every little counts! Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution both in here and towards saving our planet.
@IceTerror (47)
• Sweden
28 Mar 09
I already took part. It ended 30min ago. No lights, no tv, no computer etc. :)
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@Darkwing (21583)
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29 Mar 09
Well done, my friend! I was much the same... the only things I didn't switch off were my fridge and freezer. I used my laptop on battery but it only lasted twenty minutes so I caught up with some darts stats that needed doing, by candlelight!
I was a bit disappointed with my neighbours. From my window, I could only see one of them with their lights out! 
Still, they'll be the first to moan about global warming, but are not willing to do a darned thing about it! People with money, make me angry sometimes in their ignorance!
Brightest Blessings my friend. Thank you for your contribution, both to the Earth and this discussion.
Still, they'll be the first to moan about global warming, but are not willing to do a darned thing about it! People with money, make me angry sometimes in their ignorance!
Brightest Blessings my friend. Thank you for your contribution, both to the Earth and this discussion.