Why I Will Not Join Earth Hour

I think Malaysians for the past month has been bombarded by messages to join Earth Hour by all sorts of media. For those who may have somehow missed the message, this is basically an exhortation to be a greenie novice by switching off the lights in your house or location for an hour, under the pretext that such an action by a targeted one billion people can offset our carbon emissions that contributes to global warming.

But then why I will not join the Earth Hour brouhaha is simple; as a realist green that knows in the modern world I can never be totally green I give these two main reasons amongst many:

1. Mother Earth will not get a break by one billion people switching off for an hour when the other five billion plus people are still merrily polluting the earth and continue to do so without abatement. She will only get a break when a significant portion of the non-green people who joins the event because of the buzz and as a fad actually takes the next step and try to start a more green and healthy lifestyle, like making a decision to try to separate and recycle as much as possible by the more easy method of reusing your plastic bags as garbage bags instead of buying specialist garbage bags, or mulching your garbage for compost if you actually do some gardening in order to really green the earth, or keeping that unsightly pile of old newspaper to be solf off to recycles so that less trees will be cut down. As it is, I sincerely believe that after the event, most of the participants will go back to their normal lifestyle and we all know what that means.

2. One hour of switching off the lights in all the places that are holding Earth Hour Events in shopping malls etc that is being done locally like being pushed by this article will not offset the carbon emissions by the transport taken by the event participants. Those who understand the reason why I drive a fuel efficient MPV over an underpowered sub-compact will get what I am saying. You can have all your acoustic concerts, candle light dining and what not but the fact is that the special preparations to make such an event already has added extra emissions to the atmosphere. I will not join such events unless it is held in the local park where the events held requires no special arrangement, just people coming together hopefully by foot to appreciate nature like gazing into the night sky to maybe see the stars for the first time and to hear nature at its best, as then the only emissions these people would make are only the carbon dioxide from breathing and methane from the nether regions :>).

So tonight at the appointed hour you will find that my television and lights will be switched on. But I will make sure that only essential lighting like those in the living room where we will watch the idiot box will be on and as usual only the fan and an open door to let the fresh air in will cool the room. I am sure that we will make less emission than the fools who literally switch off only their lights but keep their airconds humming and other electrical equipment working as this is basically utility futility, and even than the ones who totally switch off for the appointed hour as we will be doing it every night. Such a commitment and belief does not an hour make. But hey! If you have already signed up and will partake in the festivities, go ahead! Like they say, at the very least you will be voting for Mother Earth. And hopefully you can continue to green your life further.