Monday, March 30, 2009

Earth Day

Toronto is a very environmentally conscious city. It took some getting used to when we came out from wasteful Dubai. I try to do my part, re-cycle, flush every other time, use the AC sparingly in the summer, , take the stairs instead of the elevator, use Brita filters instead of water bottles…. that sort of thing.

Last week everyone began to go on and on about Earth Hour; an hour in which people are asked to not use any electricity as a demonstration of solidarity towards (well I’m not entirely sure what the aim was, future preservation, unnecessary consumption etc….well something along those lines.) I was bombarded everywhere with little reminders on facebook, blogs (you know who you are) and TV. So when a friend of friend invited us out to their condo to sit around in the dark and promised us wine and food, I thought to myself, finally a tree hugger I can get down with.

On our way to Earth hour (we were late, we thought to shut off our headlights, but decided against it) we caught groups of people holding candles on various street corners. Funny part was the people, happened to be standing underneath trees decorated in lights, surrounded by neon signs that were clearly on, but hey you gotta start somewhere.

So there we were in the dark, getting increasingly inebriated, (me wearing my peace on earth, backless shirt,-dress is key when being an activist) trying to keep the conversation flowing, when we realized how much we missed a few nice things electricity gave us, for instance:

  • Peeing in the dark, while romantic, can prove challenging for a man, as he becomes increasingly sloshed…..for a girl, it’s much harder to snoop in the dark (oh what I said it!)
  • You miss music! Sadly we did not have our guitarist, drummer and/or sax player…to entertain us, (mental note for next earth hour…)
  • All that silence and darkness is kinda creepy-like in horror movies, where people enter dark houses and begin to look around with a flash light, how much less creepy is it when you can just flip on a light??
  • Hot wax can be painful
  • TV- Listen here I love to read, and read, and read. But really there is no substitute for TV, none, bah!

    Did you guys do anything special??

14 comments:

Radmila said...

We can have another black out and do Earth 96 hours again.

On a serious note though, I think it's a noble gesture that doesn't really mean all that much when security systems, billboards, store signs, and office buildings are the biggest consumers with electricity humming all night long with no one in them.

But, we're big on symbolism, gestures and making a point while we all continue to consume.

It's like only going to church on Christmas and Easter.

Chris said...

Radmila is right. It's a sociological placebo.

ruthibel said...

candles under bright neon signs... how wonderful

ruthibel said...

candles under bright neon signs... how wonderful

Cool Destiny said...

Didn't even know it was Earth Day ... ah well ... maybe next year.

Abeni said...

Yes no tv is torture

Unknown said...

LOL! I like your take on this Earth Hour thing.

Jdid said...

I read by flashlight, wasnt impressed. i'm sure this one was the peak anyways by next one people will be like earth hour again! forget it.

oh and yea as rad said that blackout and those 96 hours of no electricity. shudder!

Pepper said...

Yeah we havent too caught on to the environmental thing here in JA yet...least...i dont think so *confused*

but anyway there must ba another way :s

Radmila said...

LOL @ Pepper...if JA is like anywhere else (other than North America) there are self-imposed Earth Hours...only they're called brown outs.

There are plenty of places in the world where the power goes out for hours at a time...un-symbolically.

Dee said...

I never really knew about it and so I didn't pay it any mind.

Pepper said...

aahhhh yes Radmila this is true! and always at the most annoying of times (it is also true that there is never a good time)

ChpterReads said...

I didn't even know about this till one day when I was at my besties house and her husband shows me pictures of the places where they turned the lights off.. They were on AOL and they were fabulous shots.. How I didn't know or hear bout this IDK, but next time I plan on participating!

Mad Bul said...

I didn't really hear about this one. When was it? As Radmila says,though, celebrating Earth Hours is a reasonably normal practice for us who live outside the US / Canada.

Ah nuh nutten dat!