EARTH HOUR UPDATE

LIGHTS OUT AT 8 P.M., MARCH 29, 2008

With one month to go, 30 million people are set to participate in Earth Hour 2008. At 8 pm on March 29, people around the globe will shut off their lights and power down their televisions to raise awareness of global warming. Read my original posting for more info.

During last year's Earth Hour, 2.2 million people in Sydney, Australia powered-down for one hour. This year, at least 24 cities have signed up, representing as many as 30 million people. In addition, over 56,000 people have registered on Earth Hour’s website, and over 3,000 businesses.

During last year's Sydney event, restaurants used candles and lights were turned off in homes and major landmarks, including the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. This year, other iconic buildings to be plunged into darkness will include San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, Chicago's Sears Tower, and the 553-metre CN Tower in Toronto.

Cities participating include Sydney, Copenhagen, Manila, Suva, Chicago, Tel Aviv, Christchurch, Toronto, Odense, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Atlanta, San Francisco, Bangkok, Ottawa, Dublin, Vancouver, Montreal, Pheonix, and others. Of course you don’t have to live in one of these cities to participate in this unique event: click here to sign up for Earth Hour 2008.

¡VIVA LA REVOLUCIÓN!

Sources, resources, discourses:

1. Reuters – article
2. Earth Hour - website

PERU PERUSES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

RENEWABLE POWER = PERUVIAN POWER

Wind and solar power hard at work in Peru.

The Peruvian government has announced a portfolio of 35 renewable energy projects. Though alternative energy has been slow to catch on in Peru, the government wants to take advantage of the country’s rich solar and wind potential, in an effort to diversify away from oil dependency and fight climate change.

One of the proposed projects could make Peru a major exporter of “clean” energy: a hydropower plant located in the Amazon with the potential to generate over 7,500 megawatts per year. Peru uses only 350 megawatts per year.

Fifteen of the proposed projects are for hydropower. Other projects include wind, geothermic, solar and tidal power, as well as the development of a national solar map. The solar map would chart levels of solar radiation across Peru, and would guide the location of solar panels. The government predicts that at some sites, one solar panel could generate as much energy as 15 panels in other sites. The price tag for all 35 projects is expected to be US$35 billion over 15 years.

Peru currently depends on oil for 56 percent of its energy, with more than half of it’s oil imported from other countries. The government plans on replacing much of the imported oil with Peruvian natural gas, and increasing the country’s use of renewable energy from 27 percent to 33 percent. The goal is to reduce the use of oil to 25 per cent of 2004 levels by 2011.

A law on renewable energy aiming to provide funding for research and development was proposed to Peru’s congress on February 1, and should be passed before the end of the month. Shoutout to the government of Peru for jumping on the alternative energy bandwagon.

Sources, resources, discourses:

1. latinamericanpress – article
2. SciDevNet – article
3. hotStocked.com - article

LIGHTS OUT FOR INCANDESCENT BULBS

IRELAND, PHILIPPINES, AUSTRALIA,
CANADA, U.S.A. TO BAN THE BULB

Ireland has become the first country in Europe to ban the incandescent bulb. Sale of the traditional bulb will end by the beginning of next year, in favor of low-energy alternatives. The switch to energy-efficient bulbs will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 700,000 tonnes per year and shave 185 million euros (US$269.3 million) per year off householders' electricity bills. Ireland currently uses more energy for lighting homes than anywhere else in Europe.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has become the first country in Asia to ban the bulb, phasing out incandescents by 2010. The ban will reduce the Philippines' annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2.2 million tonnes.

Australia, the first country in the world to announce a ban, will be bulb free by 2009-2010. Canada will ban the bulb by 2012, the United States by 2014.

Industry is also jumping on the bulb bandwagon (or is that banned-wagon?). Philips, the world’s largest lighting manufacturer, says it will stop making incandescent bulbs by 2016.

WHY CHANGE BULBS?

First of all, traditional bulbs are old. The incandescent light bulb is based on a design invented in the 19th century by Thomas Edison. Less than 10 percent of the energy used by an incandescent lightbulb generates visible light; 90 percent is wasted as heat. Most of this energy is generated by fossil fuels, which causes CO2 emissions leading to climate change. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) use 5 times less energy than incandescents, which means far less CO2 pollution. CFLs, therefore, are better for the climate.

CFLs are also more cost-effective than regular bulbs. While CFLs cost more at the hardware store, they last far longer than an incandescent, and therefore save money in the long run. CFLs last between 6 and 15 years, while an incandescent usually lasts only one.

If the entire world banned the incandescent bulb in favor of energy-efficient bulbs, this simple step would permit the closing of more than 270 coal-fired power plants, sharply cutting worldwide carbon emissions. For the United States alone, this bulb switch could shut down 80 coal-fired plants. The European Union could shut down 25 more.

TAKE ACTION:

First, switch to CFLs if you haven’t already. Save yourself some cash while saving the world.

Next, join Greenpeace’s 7-step global energy efficiency campaign.

Shoutout to Australia for lighting the way. Shoutout to Ireland and the Philippines for showing leadership and acting quickly. Shoutout to Canada, the U.S.A. and Philips for getting on board. Shoutout to everyone who has already made the switch.

¡VIVA LA REVOLUCIÓN!

Sources, resources, and discourses:

1. EU Business – article
2. Reuters UK - article
3. Tech Digest – article and photo
4. The Associated Press - article
5. Greenpeace – article
6. Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government – press release
7. Natural Resources Canada – press release
8. Earth Policy Institute – article
9. BBC News – article
10. The Sydney Morning Herald - article
11. Greenpeace – light bulb Q&A

EARTH HOUR, 8 P.M., MARCH 29, 2008

LIGHTS OUT FOR SYDNEY, CHICAGO, TORONTO, COPENHAGEN, TEL AVIV, MANILA AND MORE

“Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced,

Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour

to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.”

At 8:00 p.m. on March 29, 2008, cities around the world will shut their lights off for one hour to symbolize their commitment to finding solutions for climate change. The objective of this dramatic gesture: nothing short of changing the world.

The initiative, called Earth Hour, started last year in Sydney, Australia. On March 31, 2007, 2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney shut off their lights for one hour. This massive effort reduced Sydney’s energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for an hour. In 2008, the effort has gone global, with such cities as Chicago, Toronto, Copenhagen, Melbourne, Manila and Tel Aviv agreeing to shut off their lights for one hour on March 29.

Even if you don’t live in one of the participating cities, you can still join Earth Hour by visiting the Earth Hour website and joining the 10,000+ other people (including yours truly) who have signed up to participate. It’s remarkably easy to get involved: just turn off your lights for one hour, and spread the word.

Big shoutout to the WWF and the organizers of Earth Hour around the globe for raising awareness and for taking direct action.

March 29, y'all.

Sources and additional information:

http://www.earthhour.org/

http://www.wwf.ca/NewsAndFacts/NewsRoom/default.asp?section=archive&page=display&ID=1567&lang=EN

http://www.thestar.com/earthhour