Saturday, March 28, 2009

Earth Hour - I voted for Earth.

Even Dong Dong turn off her light(s) at Earth Hour.

Earth Hour just ended at 9.30pm. Did you vote for Earth? I looked out at my neighbourhood a few times during Earth Hour and was super disappointed. Lights on. Worst, lights on with nobody in the room. Singapore flats are so closely packed, so we can actually see into rooms of our neigbours easily. =D

Nothing is more frustrating than the lights being on with nobody using it on Earth Hour. At home, lights and fans were off-ed and laptop on battery mode. And I am making it an effort to make 1am lights off and laptop off. And our room air-conditioner is down. My moomoo had wanted to get a set of new air-conditioner. But we installed wall fans first with the intention of getting a new set of air-con later. Now, I think we had better not. Not only does it saves $$, we save our skin/hair from drying and it also saves the earth! The sound from the fan puts me to sleep and I wake up each day with lesser bad hair day problems because it isn't as dry as before. =D I am a super light sleeper but I am happy to have the sound from the fan put me to sleep. =D See, if you do something that benefits yourself and the earth, why not luh!

I noticed certain things from reading peoples' reaction to Earth Hour. First, in Singapore, when you do something positive, people put you down. Second, if others don't do it, you don't do it. Third, people just have the "it's not my business" mentality. Fourth, many people go "it's just an hour! How much does it affect?!". Fifth, "how much can one hour save? also not everyday". Sixth, "for what? It's not our problem, but the problems of the next generation".

First, being nice isn't something to be ashamed of. I mean, for goodness sake, just because someone decides to turn of their lights for that particular day doesn't mean that they are "fake earth lovers". I always thought it was dumb to say that. I mean, what does that person gain from trying to be a "fake earth lover"? At least it helps the earth and promotes earth hour too. No harm~

Second, if other's don't do it, you also don't do it. Pathetic. Nice trying to find an excuse for being lazy. Why PUB don't do a shut down? Why HDB don't shut down the corridor lights? Then it defeats the purpose if PUB were to shut down. It's supposed to a part that we play, not the gahment trying to force us. And the corridor lights cannot be shut off because we have weird people in Singapore who will do funny things. But I thought it would be great if they did off a few corridor lights. It doesn't totally create darkness.

Third, it's-not-my-business-mentality. It's always the case. Is it really a trait of us as Singaporeans? Remember the experiment where they place a few children on the streets posed as victims of child abuse with results showing that most people just walk pass them or look at them? Karma~ With such mentality, when you are down and in need of help, you'll get slapped with the it's-not-my-business attitude. We learn in books that what ever that happens to others affect you. So is it still your business? It goes to show how much love we have for our fellow humans.

Fourth, it's just an hour. It's not JUST an hour. Remember the show Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium? The Just-Guy? Because it's always "just" something that people don't really see the wonder in things and how great an impact is has. There are so many people in the world (*and I do not want to bombard you with numbers*) and if everyone were to spare that ONE hour, it's no longer JUST an hour. And besides that, it's main purpose is to create awareness. Remember, they need to convince gahment to support them in whatever they are doing to safe Earth. And by having this Earth Hour thing, people with the ability to make a difference (*read: gahment*) will know that they are many people in their own country that are supportive of it. And if you have all along been saving electricity and doing your part in saving earth, there's no need to put this day down as it being a gimmick or a hyprocrite day. Since you have been all along saving electricity, will it hurt you by turning off the light for an hour in this particular day?

Fifth, same as the fourth one. If you know nuts about what Earth Hour is all about then, better read up before you start putting people down or start ranting at how fake and redundant this day is. It does have an impact on me. But that may be because I was tuning into Nat Geog channel for that hour and have learnt about the harmless (*means = little work required*) ways to cut down on energy used. And I believe we always use electricity more than we need.

Sixth, it's not our problem, but the problem of the next generation. Same as it's-not-my-business. It's not a dog-eat-dog world. It's because we want to believe it's a dog-eat-dog world so that we can just forget about being a nice person. =.=

It's like you are at a rock concert with the rockers trying their best to liven things up and there are a few people rocking their heads to the beat while others are sitting with their butt glued to the chair watching the concert like it's some classical/musical play. You know, I don't see how hard it is to turn the lights off just for that hour of that day. You know, recycling a soda can can power your teevee for 3 hours. Ya, it's JUST a soda can but it's 3 hours!


~Ellepedia~ at 6:27 AM