A Badly Planned Earth Hour Sheds More Light

March 29, 2008 I had plans for the evening. I was supposed to be on a course but the course was cancelled and I didn't manage to come up with substitute plans. I found myself marking Earth Hour at home alone.

Earth Hour is a global event initiated by the World Wildlife Foundation. People around the world are asked to turn off all lights and electrical appliances for one hour between 8 and 9pm. Their intention is to bring awareness to the issue of climate change and our ability to take action.

The advantage of living in Calgary is that it isn't actually dark outside at 8pm. In fact, sunset is just after 8 with twilight ending at 8:40pm. I began Earth Hour by eating dinner and reading the newspaper in the fading light. I then attended to some Earthy household chores like pruning plants. After this was finished, I was at a loss for things to do. Understand that batteries and candles also consume energy and generate emissions indirectly and directly so I had resolved not to use them. The light filtering in from the street lamps was not enough to do anything useful by. Reading, watching TV, playing on the computer were not possible. My room mate arrived home and I explained Earth Hour to her. She went upstairs in the dark to make a phone call. I was left to sit and think in the dark.

I thought about Carol in Nepal with rotating blackouts. I wondered what life would be like here if we lived with blackouts every evening. I propose that life would be better. With power we entertain ourselves and the need for other people is reduced. Spending an hour without power would have been a lot more fun in the company of other people. There would have been games to play, stories to tell, and friendship to share. Faced with endless powerless evenings people would either build community or choose to go mad in the dark. Power brings us news from around the world over the internet and gives us the commmon experience of movies. We believe this creates a global community. Darkness will strengthen the local community. Perhaps we need to find a better balance.

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22nd I wonder if we can last the day without power, without gasoline, without computers and actually talk to each other.