Lights Out
I’m going to take part in Earth Hour later today – are you?
Across the world, and 8.30pm local time, everyone is encouraged to turn off their lights for one hour as a small way of tackling global warning.
Here in Nashville the mayor will be turning out the lights downtown, and lots of bars are hosting candle-lit acoustic evenings.
For more information head http://www.earthhour.org
So glad I saw this post just after 8 p.m. on Saturday night!!! Blog Blog Woof Woof also let me know, as I checked his blog just after yours. We made it in time to turn out the lights. Olivia and I sunggled on the couch and read Inkheart together by candlelight. Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! I want to do that at least once a week. (Every night would be even better, but not likely.)
Great Lisa!! So glad you took part! We were out in Brentwood and turned the lights out at a freind’s, then drove back to Nashville and sat on the brow of the hill on 8th Avenue and watched all the lights downtown coming back on at 9.30. Was really cool!
Came across this just after reading the Slow Geeks article from James. Got me thinking whether using candles was really saving the planet.
I ended up doing quite a bit of research on lights (look for luminous efficacy). Candles are so much less effective (but prettier – which is why I make them) than light bulbs (about 1000 times apparently). And the even more efficient lights use small amounts of radioactive material to get them to work.
I find it hard to get good quality information that helps me to make the right choice. Low energy bulbs must take more energy to make – so taking production, distribution, use and disposal into account which is better?
Wind power – can I get reliable information – not easily. I did discover wind power has higher carbon emissions than you might think.
Greenpeace were championing local production recently. Might be good. Might be worse.
The one thing I do know is that every unit of energy you don’t use at home probably saves about four more being pumped into the atmosphere.
I’ll opt for swiching lights off until I can find information to make an informed choice.
And you will be pleased to hear that Earth Hour was sent round as an official notice to all our staff!