Earth Hour. For just one hour, everyone is supposed to come together and acknowledge the damage we, human have done to this beautiful old earth. For just one hour! Sadly, there are those who chose to ignore the plea and continue on to let the lights on. We are not asked to actually switch everything off for an hour, well at least we can keep the essentials on. The problem is, the word “essentials”, means differently to everyone. The only thing that was left on in my condo was the fridge. My lights were off till around 8pm tonight. Simply because I did not need to switch any lights on. Similar to last year, my Earth Hour was an extended one. I chose not to switch the lights on until it is necessary for me to do so. Oh, one more thing I switched on just after midnight other than my fridge, was my fan, so that I could sleep comfortably.

Back to the definition of “essentials”. I came to notice that some think that it is necessary to have the lights on while in the shower. It is only normal to have the lights on when you are in the shower but for crying out loud, Earth Hour is just ONE hour in ONE day out of the many hours and days that we have in a year. Why can’t we use candles for this one small time, for mother earth’s sake! We have only one earth for god’s sake. I seriously and honestly believe that we must do everything in our power, everything we can, to make good the damage that had been done. It is essential that you keep your fridge on so that the food do not go bad (one hour wouldn’t cause you your food in the fridge tho). It is essential that you have your fan on so that you do not sweat like you just came out of shower without a bath towel (if you are staying in during Earth Hour (and yet it was cool and breezy outside. I was outside and it was cool and breezy)). Other than that, I can not think of anything else to be “essential”.

I was at a meeting (that has something to do with green technology & green development) when my client said to all of us present, “Right now, we are at the stage where we are uncomfortable. According to the researches done, between five to fifteen years, these green house effects etc will not only make us uncomfortable. In fact, our lives will be adversely affected. We may not even be able to leave our houses.” We went on to discuss this question, “Fifteen years from now, when all the natural resources are gone, where the time when our lives supposedly have become adversely affected by the damage done, if I have a bar of gold, would you trade your food for my gold?”.

They will come the time when money and gold will mean nothing. This time will come when our carbon footprints are no longer footprints but holes in the ground. It just bothers me that there are just too many people out there who refuse to acknowledge this facts. It bothers me when there are people who choose to only decide whether or not to cross the bridge when they get to the bridge in relation to this matter. Perhaps we can “bait” people with the projection of savings (money wise) when they choose to go green. The fact that nowadays one has to pay for each plastic bag, or the amount of money one will save if one uses energy saving-green certified light bulbs. Money means a lot to everyone, so perhaps that is the best way to promote green. Think of all the money we can save! How I wish people will be more enthusiastic when we say, “Think of all the trees we can save” or “Think of the amount of carbon emission we can reduce”. Green is a lifestyle, not just a colour. Choose to live green (or at least as green as possible). Choose to acknowledge the damage we have done. Choose to see the amount of wrongs we had done to mother earth. Choose to see that regrets may mean nothing when it is too late.

Everyone knows how to enjoy beauty but not everyone cares. The sad truth.