Turn it off.

There has been much talk about Earth Hour this past week. Some people seem to embrace the idea- seeing it as a positive step, though largely symbolic in nature, while others seem to mock the whole idea, seeing it as a feel good frivolous activity that will accomplish nothing. To those folks I ask: "What does doing nothing accomplish?". That kind of cynicism is of little worth.

I don't think anyone who is participating in Earth hour really believes it will have a huge impact on climate change- that one hour really isn't supposed to do that. It is more an exercise about ideas, about raising awareness, about showing our kids we are all trying to make a change, and above all, it is about how small changes can make a difference.

We all need to participate because climate change is not someone else's problem, it is ours. No one is exempt.

Yes, it is just an hour but it can be so much more if we just drop the attitude and try to make the changes we can. We need to be more proactive as a population- after Earth Hour we must continue to conserve, to reuse, to recycle. We need to demand better packaging, and more responsible waste management of our manufacturers. We need to ask of our government, of our communities, of ourselves, what next?

Earth Hour will not make the changes we need, but it is a step. As the Chinese proverb says" A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step".




Side note: Whomever the dimwit was at the CBC who labeled the Earth Hour activity a bandwagon should be tarred and feathered and hung from Gallows Hill. Way to set the tone for the cynics and lazy arses, Dilbert.