Earth Hour 2009

[Simon]

Its soon time for Earth Hour 2009. If you don't know what I am talking about it's simply "a global climate change event in which tens of millions of citizens, businesses and government leaders from all corners of the world will turn off their lights to make a statement about the urgent need for action on climate change." For one hour.

The latest city to take part is Washington DC, WWF have announced.

During Earth Hour 2009, lights are slated to go out on some of the world's most iconic buildings and landmarks including:

· The Las Vegas Strip

· Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

· Sears Tower in Chicago

· Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in Paris

· Sydney Opera House

· Christ the Redeemer in Brazil

· Niagara Falls

· Coliseum in Rome

· Stockholm Castle

· Burj Dubai

I dont know really. Somehow I can't get out the bad taste in my mouth about all this. For me it just feels like a huge greenwash project. Nothing will change to the better by just turning of your lights for an hour every year. I hardly doubt this hour will, or has changed the mindset on anyone and even less changed politics and policies around the world.

And just the fact that the Stockholm Castle in Sweden will turn off the lights just adds more bad taste in my mouth. Here we have a castle in which the people who are living (on taxpayers money!) inside it are far from any eco or climate conscious people. Just weeks ago the "King" said in the media that we need to start killing our endangered wolfs in Sweden. And now they gonna turn off the lights on the castle for an hour to "make a statement about the urgent need for action on climate change". Come on! Its just a huge greenwash stunt!

Or am I just being way too negative right now? What do you think?

[Simon]

Today its Earth Hour at 8:30PM local time, wherever you live on planet earth. Will you take part in it?

[mountainhiker]

Today its Earth Hour at 8:30PM local time, wherever you live on planet earth. Will you take part in it?

BUT, is was a "feel good" greenwash project, where lots of actors and pretend champions of "all things green" got to get a lot of free press coverage.....

[Simon]

I've written about this topic on Green Blog: Is Earth Hour just a pointless publicity stunt?

I am happy that Earth Hour has grown from a local event in Australia into an extraordinary global event to highlight the climate crisis. All honor to the WWF for making it to what it is today. But unfortunately I think a publicity event like this is a few years too late. Everyone already knows what kind of devastating threat man-made climate change is, although a few people foolishly try to deny it.

[pcoulter54]

its high time when the right thing happened. we have to understand what disaster is coming to us all.

[arctics_huha]

somehow, i think it was a good project to show taht we still love our mothe earth.. rite???

[mountainhiker]

somehow, i think it was a good project to show taht we still love our mothe earth.. rite???

Publicity stunts detract from any real discussion of the subject.