Earth Hour … is it "worth" it?

On March 29, 2008, millions of people around the world observed Earth Hour.  Originally held in Australia in 2007, the movement has expended across the globe as a way to send a message to the nations of the planet that people are concerned about the health of the planet while simultaneously saving a little money in electrical costs at the same time.  But you need to ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”  I guess it depends on what your intended goal is and can it be obtained. 

Will Earth Hour save you money?  Yes.  If you participate in Earth Hour each year, you will save yourself the equivalent of 60 minutes of normal electrical consumption.  As of right now, I am running the following:

One laptop computer
One desktop computer with LCD monitor
One HD rear-projection TV (and cable box)
Twelve recessed lighting fixtures
One refrigerator/freezer
One clothes dryer
One HVAC system

For 60 minutes of use, my electrical expenses come up to roughly $15.00 (give or take a dollar).  So I now have $15.00 extra in my pocket which I can use on something else at some point in the year.  Not a bad trade off.  However, could I accomplish this every day out of the year?  It would take a serious effort and a change of lifestyle, but would be attainable. 

Will Earth Hour save the planet?  In the near-term?  No.  While you and millions around you might not be consuming electricity for 60 minutes out of the year, the power plants are still running.  They might be able to estimate the drop in demand and adjust production accordingly, but overall the plants will still be producing the same pollution as any other day.  What about in the long-term?  That’s hard to tell.  Movements like this pop up from time to time, and it is difficult to determine if any particular activity leads to changes in mindset in society. 

Arbor Day is an example of a movement that has a positive impact on the environment, as people are encouraged to go out and plant and care for trees in their neighborhood.  These trees in turn clean the air of carbon dioxide while providing shade and cooling the ground around them.  Gas Out days are an example of a movement that has no impact on the environment.  People need to buy gas and will either fill up the day before or after the assigned Gas Out day.  There is no emphasis on decreasing consumption or actively working to improve the planet.  Where does Earth Hour fall into this scale?  At the moment, I would place it just above Gas Outs, as it doesn’t really encourage people to change their overall way of life nor actively take part in projects that improve the environment. 

So is Earth Hour worth it?  There is no denying that the intent is noble and people should view this event as a motivation to reduce their electrical consumption.  I view it as an environmental “New Year’s resolution.”  People might start off with the intent to save the planet, but as the holiday slips from memory, so does the emphasis of its message.  So maybe we should tweak the goal of Earth Hour some.  Instead of having people turn off their lights in the evening, how about we encourage people to turn off their TV’s and computers for an hour on the weekend and get people outside.  In one hour, you can plant a tree or a bush, or prune limbs off of trees and lay down mulch to encourage water retention and improve the health of the plants.  So not only are you saving money for one hour, you are making an investment in your house that could lead to lowered cooling costs when the trees grow up and provide additional shade on your property.  This will decrease your electrical demand by not requiring your air conditioners to work so hard, and that savings lasts longer than one hour out of the year.

Consider it.