The Earth Hour Event (2)

Although the Earth Hour Event is aimed to save energy, reduce carbon emission, and finally protect the planet, many negative points of it are pointed out by the public. As a result, shall we still keep the Earth Hour and relevant events?

I believe the answer should be yes.

Firstly, recent researches conducted in Beijing prove some worries to be unnecessary. Although turning off the non-essential lights for an hour could actually save little electricity, the opinion that considerable stress would be caused to electrified wire netting at the moment when citizen turn on/off the lights should be unreliable. Certainly, a quite large electric current is found when lights are turned on, approximately 5 to 7 times as much as usual, but it will turn down to normal condition within 3 seconds. Moreover, the large electric current will cause no more than 0.1J energy, which may hardly be considered as a waste of energy.

The sudden large electric current occurs when turn on/off lights

Subsequently, the meaning of the Earth Hour might not merely concentrate on how much energy it could really save. The purposes of arousing citizen’s awareness of sustainability and encouraging them to protect environment are also valuable. In consequence, the event of Earth Hour should certainly be kept, but it might not limit to turning off lights or saving electricity. In this case, Sydney, again, becomes the role model.

For instance, last year, celebrating Australian food and farming becomes one of the themes on Earth Hour Day. It was aimed to remind people of the need to tackle global warming for the sake of our rural communities and the supply of fresh, healthy food to our doors.

Last but not least, it is hardly to evaluate how much value and effects could be caused in an event, but establishing the habits of saving energy and living a sustainable life will never be wrong. However, I have to say that it is a problem necessary for UNSW staff and students to take into account, since at 4am, all lights in Red Centre are on. It must be better, if lights here are changed into sound-activated ones, or students turn off the lights before they leave classrooms.

4am, UNSW and McDonald in Barker St. 

Reference: 

https://earthhour.org.au/food-and-farming/

http://www.guokr.com/article/17593/