Earth Hour

No doubt you know that tonight at 8:30 until 9:30 it is Earth Hour, in which people around the world are encouraged to turn off their electricity (as much as is possible) in order to show that they care about the planet. It is one way in which we can promote awareness of our dependence on electricity, and perhaps find a way to take it less for granted.

Cynics may say that it is too small a gesture to make any difference, and may even claim it is dangerous for people to light candles in their homes. Sadly, they miss the point.

Earth Hour is an opportunity to unglue ourselves from screen activity, see the stars clearer than usual, and reunite with out families. Aside from a small amount of energy savings, there are things to be gained here. We are increasingly becoming isolated by our use of gadgets and our departure from face-to-face communications. We are easily distracted by the shiny, loud and flashy aspects of our environment at the expense of meaningful listening, which is the most important part of communication.

So this year, instead of shrugging it off, it is my hope that people, including myself, will take the opportunity to reconnect with families and nature. Enjoy the quiet that comes with throwing the circuit breaker. If you are concerned about power surges, then wait a little longer to turn your power back on, and do it an item at a time. Remember, if the utilities could cope with the surges that came surrounding the Olympic hockey game, they will cope with this too.

We intend to go for a walk and hopefully do some stargazing. In Toronto, the Ontario Science Centre is bringing out telescopes for public use tonight.