Democracy Has Prevailed.

March 28, 2009

Turn Off Your Lights for Earth Hour Tonight!


This year, the world's first global election is taking place, an election between earth and global warming. It's not about what country you are from, but what planet you are from. Your light switch is your vote. We need one billion votes for earth, because our planet is worth saving. Vote Earth by simply switching off your lights for one hour and join the world for Earth Hour.

TODAY! March 28th, 8:30-9:30 PM

More at http://www.earthhour.org

And, locally from Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto:
Pittsburgh Shuts Off the Lights

Pittsburgh Joins International Effort to Combat Global Warming

PITTSBURGH – Under the leadership of Pittsburgh City Councilman William Peduto, the City of Pittsburgh will join millions of people around the world tonight in an international effort to combat global warming, “Earth Hour.”

In 2007, the first Earth Hour occurred in Sydney with 2.2 million people turning off their lights in a show of support for efforts to fight global warming. Last year, 50 million people joined the effort and lights were shut off at the Golden Gate Bridge, the Colosseum in Rome, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square.

This year, Councilman Peduto worked with leaders across the community to have Pittsburgh play a key role in this important show of support. A coalition of education, business, labor and community groups have joined together to show Pittsburgh’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. The following organizations have agreed to participate by turning off lights in their buildings, turning off signs atop downtown skyscrapers, and sending letters home to employees, board members, and students.

Chatham University
Carlow University
University of Pittsburgh
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Mercy Hospital
PNC Bank
BNY Mellon
Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
United Steelworkers of America
The Falk School
The Environmental Charter School
ePittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Group Against Smog and Pollution
Carnegie Science Center
The City of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh’s participation in Earth Hour has been a community wide effort,” said Councilman Peduto. “I am proud of the many individuals who have taken a leadership role at the local level in promoting this global initiative.”

What: Earth Hour
When: Saturday, March 28, 2009 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM

"Give Earth a break, Turn off your lights for an hour this Saturday and let's start saving our planet" (Post-Gazette)

"Many turning off their lights tomorrow" (Post-Gazette)
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11 comments:

Conservative Mountaineer said...

Not only will most of my lights be on, I will have my home PC network system (3 PCs and 3 network printers) humming along, at least 2 TVs (of 4) tuned into NCAA basketball, I'll cook a good dinner late that requires use of 3 of the 4 burners on the electric stove and use of the microwave. If I get a little feisty, I may even take a small steak out and put it on the grill, further contributing to the falacy of global warming. Or, is it global cooling? Or, is it climate change? Whatever.

Ol' Froth said...

Remember that when they lop off the top of your local scenic mountain and dump the tailings in your water supply to get at that coal.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

i turned off my lights.

etwilson said...

So Conservative Mountaineer, you're not really into actually um conserving anything, are you?

Ol' Froth said...

My lights were out as well, but I cannot say it was for Earth Hour. I get up for work at 4:30am, so for me, 8:30pm is my normal bedtime.

Conservative Mountaineer said...

O'Froth.. Coal is good.

GeneW.. I don't conserve what I can afford.. I didn't cut back in my driving when gasoline was $4/gal.. I don't recycle.. I'll still play golf at least 2-3 days per week this year.. I just got back from a 10-day golf vacation in FL... I eat out at least 2-3 nights per week (and not McDonalds).

Bright side? If I don't have any money when I retire (both HIGHLY unlikely, btw), I'll be just like a liberal and have the government feed me with food stamps, give me SS, EITC, free healthcare, etc.

Conservatism is my political leanings, not my consumption leanings, you silly.

So.. to all you liberals.. go ahead and do your little thingies where (a) you "feeeel" good and (b) "feeeel" you're screwing the achievers. My advice? Try to achieve instead.

EdHeath said...

Right, consume as much as you can because the laws of economics and scarcity don't actually exist.

(and don't tell me that technology will solve everything, tecnology appears at least as likely to kill us when applied in a thoughtless manner as it is to save us)

Social Justice NPC Anti-Paladin™ said...

I followed progressive hero Al Gore's lead by ignoring Earth Hour and turned on additional lights.
(and don't tell me that technology will solve everything, tecnology appears at least as likely to kill us when applied in a thoughtless manner as it is to save us)
Still enjoying the Euphoria from the stupid ending of Battlestar Galactica?
I trust you are living the Unibomber lifestyle and forgot to smash your computer.

EdHeath said...

I had in mind more the years of prophylactic applications of antibiotics and the use of antibacterial soaps and the like possibly creating a super bug.

I also have mind the lack of progress in fuel economy standards in the US (even in cars imported into the US, for the most part), with car companies instead opting to offer us bigger cars with bigger (and more technologically advanced) engines, thus making it that much more difficult for people to conserve gasoline (as a patriotic gesture, for our troops).

Ol' Froth said...

Coal is good? Ok, fine. Go ahead and believe that. And when your state is destroyed by mountaintop removal mining, remember....coal is good. And whe you or your children suffer from diseases caused by the toxic emissions of coal fired power plants, remember, coal is good...and when you drink tap water tainted by heavy metals...remember coal is good. And when your house is flooded by toxic sludge from the flyash impoundment where the dam burst, say to yourself that coal is good.

Now, do I support an outright banning of coal fired power plants? No, because we need that as a bridge towards better, cleaner, electricity generation. I find a wind turbine on a mountaintop, while unsighlty, a far, far less offensive alternative to a mercury spewing smokestack. Hydro? Yes, it has drawbacks, but it is far, far cleaner...If my choice is between valleys turned into lakes, with the recreation, fishing, and water management options available, or valleys filled with tailings, I'll take the lakes. And nuclear? I support it. Is waste disposal a problem? Yes, it is. But nuclear waste is highly concentrated, relativly easy to transport, and relativly easy to store. Compare that to the uncontrolled deposits of heavy metals from a coal plat's smokestack.

Choices need to be made, and the only thing going for coal is its apparent inexpense. But when you offset the cost in healthcare caused bu coal's pollution, the other options look far better.

ANd I didn't mention solar only because its so damn cloudy here. Must be the smoke.

Infinonymous said...

"Achieve."

That's ironic advice from a Mountaineer.

This may be news in West Virginia, but conspicuous consumption (let alone bragging about it) is decidedly lowbrow, conduct rarely observed among the genuinely educated and accomplished.

On second though, it almost surely is news in West Virginia, a state without a first-rate college or university and an established record of underachievement in all areas other than federal allocations.

I have no doubt you could be a product of West Virginia's educational institutions, Conservative Mountaineer. It would help to explain your disdain for science, your conservative opinions, your poor grasp of standard English . . .