(Light Wave Creations at the 2008 Green Earth Expo)
So people, I recently had an article of mine published regarding participation in Earth Hour.
Since then, a few people have alerted me to a certain blog whose author calls Earth Hour a "stunt" and anyone participating in this worldwide event a "sucker".
Reading some more of her blog, it's evident, she's quite cynical, quite negative about many things, if not everything....and as I commented on her blog, I couldn't help but notice I am practically the only person who read her thoughts on this.
I feel great about being a supporter of Earth Hour. I am pleased that my daughter is aware and also participated. While I am quite aware of the fact that we didn't change the planet the other night, I am not a sucker, and I don't believe Earth Hour is a "stunt".
I'm curious to know what you guys think?
For earth hour, I had a few friends in and we turned off everything and sat & talked by the light of a couple of soy candles. Of course we didn't change the environment that night, but it counts for awareness and care of our planet and being pro-active, don't you think?
peace
21 comments:
It absolutely counts. It sounds as if this person is just negative and maybe needs to just be along to wallow.
I love you even more now that I know you use soy candles!! They are like my fav ever!! I just received a new order today and I Heart them deeply!!
It absolutely counts. I think some people just don't want to believe in anything. Too bad for them!
If it raises awareness about problems with light pollution, carbon burning, etc., it's totally worth it. No, it won't change the world in one night but it's not a bad step. And it's fun to sit around by candlelight!
I've noticed a lot of negative memes around global warming/climate change. As if global warming is the only reason to take better care of the earth! I can think of quite a few, global warming or not...
When you value something
no mater how big
or small
it gives it power
and meaning
that unless
you allow someone
to take that from you
is it's own kind of magic.
it's called love.
Love of the planet
is no small thing.
( nor the love you share when you sit with your kid honoring that love in candle light)
I think that Earth Hour is legit. We turned out our lights for the hour and had a good time reading by candle light and playing flashlight tag. Keep up the "green" work. It does make a difference. Blessings.
i heard about this school of thought this year and i can understand it.
i think everything each one of us does addes to the ripple of change.
some don't.
c'est la vie. but not my life...
Thanks guys. I knew I wasn't alone in my support of Earth Hour.
Seems that certain blogger is alone with HER thoughts on it though...er...except for her brother & sister.
I tried to offer her some guidelines of writing more easily approachable, more optimistic blog posts as she isn't attracting any readers...what is that saying about beating a dead horse?
Oh well, live and learn...and on with my "green" life.
Heck yeah it counts.
Look, this is how I look at it (because I'm a big cynic) many of these things ARE stunts. However, what negative people seem to miss is that anything can be spun into something worthwhile. So even if it were a stunt, many 'good' folk used it as a way to spread the eco word.
When I hear people say that we're not going to change the world (meaning save the planet), I remind them that they are two separate things. And small gestures as well as the big ones ARE what change the world.
A small pebble and ripples and all that....
it absolutely counts. my parents were staying with us and when we turned off the few lights we had and lit our candles ... we had the oppportunity to educate my parents around earth hour and they were totally okay with it all ... in fact my dad looked outside at some of the houses that still had lights on and was outraged, tee hee
at the end of the day, it is about acknowledging what you feel and believe and earth hour is a window that allows you to express your beliefs. i was happy to note that power usage went down fairly signicantly in edmonton and that made me happy ...
we can't change everyone's opinions but even if one person thinks about it differently, that is a success i think ...
xo
How could it possibly be a stunt when the people who participate in this worldwide event take the care of the environment so passionately? Ignore the naysayers and keep believing and knowing that you are making a difference.
We missed 'Earth Hour' this year....completely forgot as I was caught up in other things and, man, did I feel guilty. To ease my conscience, I noted that we do make an effort to save power, by always turning off powerpoints at the wall each night so 'standby' units aren't wasting electricity. I do believe we can all make a difference to the environment by doing even small things on a daily basis to save power. Keep up the good work, Boho!
Love, light and peace,
serena
Oh yeah, it absolutely counts! If it raises awareness in even one person it counts. Someone I have known a number of years, before she became so cynical and negative about the world, slated earth hour on her blog (I think it may even be the same person judging by your description, but if so she has deleted your comment) and this has made me seriously reconsider our friendship. I really felt sick to the pit of my stomach how she attacked other people verbally for taking part in Earth Hour. I, for one, was proud to participate.
I believe the intention we have on everything we do is very important. My family and I made of the earth hour a special moment, and we involved our little son and explained to him in a very simple way why we turned off all the lights in our house. I think this small act, in adition of other little ones we make every day, shows my son, our intention to express the respect we feel for our planet, ourselves, and life itself.
PD: How is your health Boho mom? Hope you´re feeling great!
you're not a sucker. I heard of Earth hour, but I forgot. cheers to you for sharing it with your daughter.
Every bit helps. Stunt or not, it gets people talking, thinking, considering... and gets some of us *doing*...dreaming, re-visioning new options for the world we want, not just settling for the one we got lumped with...
Personally, I loved having a reason to turn out the lights and have a date with my partner! :) That we were participating in a world wide event to raise environmental awareness was a bonus.
In the end, I think the cynic view is needed to see and deconstruct "reality". But the idealist view is just as important for visioning a new option. And in the middle of those two extremes, we are all here taking whatever tiny steps we can take in our day to day lives. Every little step adds up!
A zillion miracles to you!
k-
Just want to pass along this link for you to see that Earth Hour did indeed make a difference. Its awesome! Blessings. http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/earth_hour_2009.html
i love what the earth hour symbolizes...what it reminds us of...our planet and our being the ones who need to take care of it. i love how you spent your earth hour. what a great way to demonstrate to your daughter that caring for the earth is our responsibility.
We certainly have to be careful with the internet that is for sure.
Great blog and looking forward to reading more.
Sorry to be a bit behind -as usual!- in commenting on this but i just wanted to say "Good for you!"
We enjoyed earth day too, i believe that by educating our kids from the get go helps them to grow up socially and enviromentally aware instead of having to learn about it the hard way, as many of us have sadly had to do.If this lady is happy to berate earth day then let her, her loss is our gain. I think we should all do as much as we're able to do to make our home somewhere safe and beautiful to live as opposed to the burnt out husk that will sadly be all that is left eventually if we humans don't start paying attention now. sorry for the ramble, you struck a chord with this post, i had some people laughing at me and my "silly, hippy, airy faerie ideas". Their loss i say. keep up the good work boho, we all know we're doing the right thing for not just our kids but theirs too, and so on and on and on and on..........
There's a blogger I used to have as a contact who I no longer have a link to for almost that very reason. She regularly bashed anything environmentally conscious and in fact would put on her calendar such things as pre-start and run her car excessively long before driving, delay oil changes, etc. OYE!
Our local community forums had a comment from someone on how ineffective many of the so-called energy savings suggestions are in response to a "will you participate in earth hour" prompt, specifically the unplugging your cell phone chargers when not actively charging. Seems she had a stat from the big power company cheese that one only saves 18 cents/year that way - to which her comment was 18 cents/year was not motivation for her. My comment on that was something to the effect that for a single user that may not be a big deal but if you conservatively estimate that 10 million cell customers in our state doing so would mean almost a quarter million dollars less in the power company's corporate coffers.
My facebook status for that day stated that I think the nay sayers re: earth hour must never have participated in a team game/sport or had any experience illustrating how many hands make light the work. Must be sad to be so isolated.
Good for you for sharing your earth hour!
Of course it counts!! I just didn't take part this year because I'm living at my in-laws, yadah, yadah... But I'll definitely make this a weekly ritual as soon as I'm at my home-to-be. Every action counts in the end. I feel so well every time I deal with Earth & Nature with justice and respect, I'm sure it respondes somehow. Sincerely, dont give this blogger so much attention... She just don't deserve the effort.
Kisses from us!
I think Earth Hour only works if people actually think. If folks just switch off the lights because everyone is doing it, but for the rest of the year leave every light burning energy sucking bulbs and what not then it's lost a bit.
It works if people learn from it.
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