Started as a way to spread awareness about climate change, does the observance of Earth Hour nothing more than an exercise in futility?
By: Ringo Bones
Remember that Native American Chief who shed a tear after witnessing drive-by litterbugs that became an environmental awareness icon of the late 1960s and early 1970s? Well, he’ll be crying double after knowing that the most easily “greenable” and “carbon neutral ready” industry – namely electricity generation – has been undermined from becoming truly environmentally friendly by our elected officials who are now beholden by the fossil fuel conglomerate. Knowing this piece of crucial info, is turning our lights for one hour this coming Saturday, March 27, sending the right message to our “carbon enslaved” elected officials that we are serious about climate change and global warming?
The polling precinct would have been a better venue of expressing our stance on climate change and global warming. And yes, I still do freely chose to switch off lights and forego Internet use for an hour this coming March 27 after a couple of weeks of rescheduling my itinerary. But I too have doubts whether turning our lights for one hour during Earth Hour will be seen by our elected officials who are now in too deep with the fossil fuel industry lobbyists as our statement of concern for caring more for our environment.
Since most of my electrical needs for my Internet and entertainment needs are met by off-the-grid power generation with my makeshift solar photo-voltaic and discarded submarine battery power source, I still chose to switch off on Earth Hour. Just because our local elected officials had been dragging their feet when it comes to plans to start carbon neutral electricity generation. But given that climate change skepticism has become intellectually fashionable these days – especially when coupled with neo-Nazism, then maybe we should express our concerns for global warming in other fronts. Not just during Earth Hour but also during election time. If the Australian environment minister, Peter Garret, managed to embroil himself in that Gunns pulp mill debacle, then maybe we should all be electing leaders who are not beholden by polluters.
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2 comments:
I do agre that electric power generation is one of the industries that is very easy to be turned green / environmentally friendly. However due to our leaders being beholden by the fossil fuel lobby, it is probably easy for the Beijing government to make peace with the Dalai Lama than to "green" their coal-fired power plants. Earth Hour is probably the greatest inconvenience to us voters.
After reading The End of History by Francis Fukuyama, I think humanity as a whole is more adebt at solving political problems in comparison to environmental ones. I do agree that Beijing would probably reach a détente with the Dalai Lama before they will legislate sweeping environmental changes, like turning their coal-fired power plants with something more environmentally friendly - like solar and wind power generators.
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