RSS'Earth Hour' looks for public show of support for Kyoto Protocol U-turn
By Scott M. Fulton, III | Published March 27, 2009, 3:38 PM
In December 1997, 37 industrialized nations entered into an agreement signed in Kyoto, Japan, to begin reducing carbon emissions into the Earth's atmosphere by five-percent increments beginning in 2005. Since that time, 181 nations and the European Union have ratified the Kyoto Accord. But the United States -- at the beginning, one of its driving forces, and still believed to be the world's principal emitter of carbon pollution -- never ratified or endorsed the treaty.
It was a fact cited frequently during the campaign of then-US Presidential candidate Joe Biden, now Vice President: After the US turned its back on Kyoto, in a manner that could not be construed as anything other than intentional and a vote against climate change measures, much of the rest of the world perceived the US' move as an implied endorsement of coal-burning plants. As described by Newsweek editor Fareed Zakaria in his 2008 book The Post-American World:
Demand for electricity is projected to rise over 4 percent a year for decades. And that electricity will come mostly from the dirtiest fuel available -- coal. Coal is cheap and plentiful, so the world relies on it to produce most of its electricity. To understand the impact on global warming, consider this fact: Between 2006 and 2012, China and India will build eight hundred new coal-fired power plants -- with combined CO2 emissions five times the total savings of the Kyoto accords...
The Kyoto accord (now treated as sacred because of President Bush's cavalier rejection of [it]) is in fact a treaty marked by its adherence to the old worldview. Kyoto assumed that if the West came together and settled on a plan, the Third World would adopt the new framework and the problem would be solved. That may be the way things have been done in international affairs for decades, but it makes little sense today. China, India, Brazil, and other emerging powers will not follow along with a Western-led process in which they have not participated. What's more, governments on their own can do only so much to tackle a problem like climate change. A real solution requires creating a much broader coalition that includes the private sector, nongovernmental groups, cities and localities, and the media. In a globalized, democratized, and decentralized world, we need to get to individuals to alter their behavior.
In an effort to visibly show that at least the raw materials for such a coalition do exist in the United States and around the world, the World Wildlife Fund is encouraging individuals to shut off their electric light switches for one hour tomorrow -- Saturday, March 28 -- between 8:30 and 9:30 pm local time. Supporters of the effort are encouraging individuals to also shut off their PCs, TVs, and other entertainment devices for that hour, creating an interval during which individuals may not only alter their behavior but become compelled to speak to one another.
"Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you're from, but instead, what planet you're from," reads the WWF's Web site for the Earth Hour project. "VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing every day."
The reason tomorrow will be such an important day is because it's the day the United States returns to the bargaining table in climate change negotiations brokered by the UN, for the first time since Kyoto. Representing the US at that meeting will be the State Dept.'s newly appointed Special Envoy on Climate Change, Todd Stern.
During a press conference in Berlin earlier today, according to the Associated Press, Stern didn't hold back any feelings at all with regard to the US' position on Kyoto: "We do not have any interest in the United States in having a repeat of the Kyoto experience," remarked Stern, "where we signed an agreement that is dead on arrival when we brought it back home. We need to be guided on this internationally by a combination of science and pragmatism. It does not serve anyone to do a week-kneed compromise that doesn't move us in the direction that the science is telling us we need to go. By the same token, it doesn't serve anybody to have an agreement that is scientifically pristine and perfect and which cannot be supported by our public back home."
i love how some major publications posted articles stating that the electriicty used during that hour was more or less exactly the same in America. all the stats that show energy usage down was misleading b/c it didnt adjust for seasonal, daily, and climate trends. there was 0 difference in electricity usage relative to what was expected without the idea of the hour off bs.
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|Most people don't realize that most devices, even when "off" are, in fact, still consuming energy. If this had been a substantive push to limit the use of electricity, it would have been suggested in all of the PR BS to cut the power to the homes completely. Throw the breakers. Or at the very least, *unplug* all of the devices.
These people pushing the BS would know this kind of stuff, right? So no...they weren't trying to make a dent in energy consumption. They were trying to make a statement, which came through loud and clear: "We're actually more clueless than you thought we were!!"
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|The really sad thing about the vast majority of the 'oh so concerned' folks is that they are clueless. Oh, I don't doubt their heartfelt concern for the world. But the fact that they have NO IDEA about how the basic appliances work (especially in regards to parasitic powering as Tool referred), nor about much of anything else about which they complain, is truly sad.
As a resulot, instead of making significant changes in their own sphere of influence (of which their car is literally among the least significant sources), they instead sit on their whiny butts and wait for the proverbial 'They' to do something! And we all know, 'They" had better hurry up!
But in doing this, they feel better, as they feel as if a difference had been made by demanding that 'They' DO SOMETHING.
And so, by turning off their lights for an hour, these folks feel like something significant was accomplished in convincing the 'Theys' of the world to get off their greedy selfish butts to do something positive.
The truly sad part is that these people, especially when you think of their sheer numbers, could make a huge impact by simply implementing the myriad practical and afforable means already currently at their disposal to make a real difference by simply focusing literally upon their own home and lifestyle - and without making ANY draconian sacrifices!
But instead of real change and real improvement, we get symbolic BS like Earth Hour. We get politically motivated nonsense that seeks to empower government and politicians the power to tell OTHERS how they must live (sorta like Al Gore jetting around when not in his rediculously inefficient mansion telling others how to be green!).
The fact is, we don't need politicians telling us how we can actually do it. And I would suggest that the individual can make a much larger impact right now without any government intervention simply by assuming responsibility for their own lifestyle choices in their own home and daily choices. Of course, that involves assuming responsibility , becoming aware, and making choices and acting upon them. And unfortunately, that scares the hell out of most folks - and for the most part its easy to see who these are, as all you have to do is ask what political party they voted for.
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|Break one of those CFL bulbs and mercury levels in your house will spike 300 times the safe level suggested by the EPA. Oh brilliant! one lady in Maine was quoted a 2,000.00 price just properly clean out the mercury contamination. This is insane, 1 tiny inch forward with a energy saving bulb, 20 steps back after you get sick by accidentally breaking one.
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|Another Chicken Little!
CFLs, like ALL fluorescent lamps, contain small amounts of mercury.
Of course, how many of you oh so concerned folks already properly dispose of all batteries, bulbs, paint, oil and so many other ALREADY common househould chemicals?
Or to ask a more fundamental question, to what lengths do we have to go to idiot proof everything from dimwits like the McDonald's coffee woman?
CFLs are fine given a reasonably responsible user who assumes responsibility for the proper use and disposal of such technology. Of course, I think we may have found th real problem, and its not the bulbs - at least not the ones who produce light.
edit: bolbs???? gee I wish IE8 would get a spell checker!
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|http://www.boston.com/bi...03/earth_hour_2009.html
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|Saturday, March 28, 2009 Kids Choice Awards.
"Right now, our mother …our mother … all of our mothers, Mother Earth is hurting," said DiCaprio. "And she needs a generation of thoughtful, caring and active kids like all of you to protect her for the future. You can help us win the battle to clean up our air, our water, our land, to protect our forests, our oceans and our wildlife."
http://omg.yahoo.com/new...-choice-awards/20576?nc
Sniffle, sniffle...
I trust he is referring to protecting only that wildlife that doesn't fart...
Here's an idea: Stick to taking direction and making movies and leave that which requires actual sentience to someone more capable.
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|didn;t you know? If they play an expert (on anything) on TV or in the movies it means they actually *are* experts (on anything) in Real Life™...
Duh?
Geez...get with the times. ;-)
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|Yup, nothing like symbolism over substance to change the world!
This all reminds me of kids in school visiting the zoo and learning all about endangered tigers and the rain forest and learning to mouth the mantras requiring their salvation - who then go home, see a snake and kill it.
Yup, lofty sounding symbolic goals are admirable.
But learning how to effectively turn mantras into CONCRETE ACTION in your OWN backyard and sphere of influence can ACTUALLY makes a REAL difference. Simply being pandered to by a politician in exchange for one's vote does not.
And turning off lights for an hour is a pathetic exercise in symbolism over substance.
But why waste our time doing the practical in our own sphere of influence that will actually save us money in expenses when we can put a cool politically expediant decal on our car window or lunchbox as a substitute for actually doing something real in your own life simply supporting governments telling OTHERS what to do?
So...how many have optimized the insulation and energy use within your home or apartment???? But instead we listen to dweebs focus on exotically powered cars...or worse, turning off the lights for an hour when they fail to turn them off when not in the room at other times, or using a setback thermostat, or an on-demand water heater...and the easy list goes on and on...
Yup, "change"!
Oh wait! What masquerades as "change" is just more of the same old story, isn't it??????
Geesh...
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|I did it, for an hour, and I was startled by the reality of a life without power. My kids were cold. We used about 7 candles and had to be careful of accidentally starting a fire.
We;ll continue to do it. It was fun, and raised our awareness. I ride the bus and bike to work. I do whatever I can to help out.
The real solution is to reduce the world's population. People use resources. We need fewer people on this planet to save it. Without dramatically reducing the population, you won't solve the energy problems of the world.
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|*laughing*
Wait...
"We need fewer people on the planet to save it"???
What happened to;
"I think we're well aware that the earth will be around."??
But let's start killing off the hoomans so the tsetse flies can continue to survive... Yeah... Love the priorities.
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|Yah! Reduce population. If China and India didn't exist, we wouldn't have to worry about this. That would be over 2 billion less people, and thinking of how polluted China cities are. Just pathetic.
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|Yeah because slaughtering entire nations full of rich culture is up there with things we need to do.
Get real. Systemic population control through mandatory reductions on population growth: Worldwide. We're an intelligent species, we can do it.
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|Oh, great.
Now it a return to Paul Ehrlich's 'Zero Population Growth' from the original Earth Day!
Nevermind the implications of who enforces this and what the penalties are as you IMPOSE such a draconian restriction on OTHERS. LOL! And to think liberals who care so much can't even agree to advocate abstinence among teenagers!So I can't wait to hear how they reconcile your right to screw like bunnies with society's right(?) to tell you that we need LESS people, which means 1 or less kids! Try telling that to an unwed teenage mother? And they complained about someone even suggesting a limit before action was imposed! So, which way to OZ, Scarecrow???
But as usual, its always about what the OTHER guy should be doing!!!
Dimwit, your HOUSE OR APARTMENT is responsible for >60% of all energy usage! I don't give a flip about your bike.
And according to a 2006and 2008 United Nations report, internationally the livestock flatulence sector accounts for 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions -- more than the transportation sector.
http://www.prospect.org/...re_cows_worse_than_cars
Add to that the vehicle emissions needed to supply food and to manage the total supply chain, and suddenly the percentages raise to almost 30%!
And let's extrapolate that just a bit. ALL living beings for the most part are walking, swimming,
swaying in the 'wind'(boy that term takes on a different meaning!!!) fermenting METHANE digesters that use plant based material as fuel! And all of the belching, flatulence and hot air contributes to the total greenhouse gas load! And even the UN says that JUST cow farts account for 18% of the total contribution - MORE than all vehicles.
But more to the point, I am curious that we don't read any studies calculating the contribution to the greenhouse gases by the flatulence of ALL animals - including people. Hmmmmm......
So, if you want to impress your kids, INSULATE and weatherproof your HOUSE and switch to CFLs, or better yet, LEDs. And switch to an on demand water heater instead of running the thing 24/7/365!
But its always a blast listening to the hodgepodge of random lunacy prescribed by the 'oh so caring' liberals who are so quick to tell OTHERS how to live!
And if you want to make a real difference. You might want to teach your kids to save energy and to fart in a jar.
Or, in what will most likely make an even larger real as well as a substantial symbolic difference:
Put a cork in it.
Literally.
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|"Systemic population control through mandatory reductions on population growth"
*laughing*
Cue mothers hiding sending their offspring down the river in a thatch bowl to give them a chance to live...
Oh, wait, that's been done before. Matter of fact, china is trying it at the moment....with the obvious horrific results when parents don't....OBEY.
The government already has too much power. Lord knows, they've already decided to take over private enterprise...let's let them decide who can bear children and who can't now... That makes sense....
...not.
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|Get my Home energy from green sources (wind/Solar). So much for LOL'ing, eh?
As for China, hey, I didn't say it was going to be pleasant. mass starvation ain't gonna be pretty either. One is controllable, the other isn't.
9 billion by 2050.
Again, you can either control the population intelligently, or you can watch as resources are plundered to support the continual growth. It is happening now. I am quite amused at being attacked.
Both ya'll are fairly pathetic trolls, btw.
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|"Get my Home energy from green sources (wind/Solar)."
What?
THAT's your lame response?
So much for your understanding what the issues are.
Gee, suddenly its not so much fun responding to your nonsense, as previously we almost assumed you were capabe of carrying on a sentient conversation.
But this has become akin to criticizing someone with multiple sclerosis for not running faster...
LOL!
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|mjm - "The real solution is to reduce the world's population."
I agree. Do you mind volunteering? You said "kids" plural, which means that you have at least one too many. When can the government come and conform you to the optimal family size for population growth control? Heck, they can even call it a retroactive abortion and use your kids' stem cells for medical purposes to make all the other liberals feel justified.
Typical liberal drivel.
---
Psalms 127:3-5 ESV Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. (4) Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. (5) Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
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|"Both ya'll are fairly pathetic trolls, btw."
Because I know that at least in my case, I am not taking you seriously. I know that every time it's been tried it's created no end of horrific outcomes. I know that the only way to *enforce* such a thing would involve limitations of our basic human rights. I know that there's really nothing to argue since only a few, simple, greatly misguided folks in the 'lunatic fringe' would even think of suggesting such a thing.
As for food production, *I* find it amusing you'd think that it would be easier to "reduce" the world population than replace the time-consuming, hard to produce consumables with those that take far less time and are easily produced.
But hey, let's ignore the logical, rational solution and jump off the deep-end and suggest the one thing that no-one in their right minds would even consider.
"fairly pathetic troll", indeed.
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|Just think how much nicer the world would be if you simply took all that worry and angst and blame and simply put that energy into making a garden!
Oh, let me sit for a spell, as just the mere thought of such a radical initiative is giving me the vapors!
Just think, instead of being simply a whiny consumer, you can become a PRODUCER!
And think of the extraordinary lesson THAT would provide for you kids!
And we won't even get into the subject of teaching them that chicken does not grow in plastic wrapped styrofoam trays nor grow in cans (after all, them sea chickens is hard to find! Just ask ol' Jessica Simpson!)
But then one only needed to watch a few episodes of Ted Nugent's 'Reality Show' to see how pathetic the average consumer is!
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|I actually supported Earth Hour and really liked this initiative to conserve and save Mother Earth. I even reprimanded my son who's farming warcraft gold on WoW at that time to shut everything off.
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|"Save Mother Earth"
*laughing*
Do you actually believe this BS? Do you actually think that barring nuclear holocaust, we're in danger of "Destroying the Earth"??
Got news for you, the "Earth" is a lot more adaptable to change than we are. We'll be gone *long* before "She" is....
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|PC_Tool. I think we're well aware that the earth will be around. it's humans that want it to stay the way it is now, or make it sustainable for the vast majority of the planet's creatures that is the point.
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|him:
"We need to save mother earth"
you:
"I don't think anyone thinks we're in danger of destroying the earth"
Paraphrased, but you get the point.
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|My house will be the brightest, loudest on the block.
Now, if the TV and radio networks would go dark for that same time, maybe I'd put the 3-ways on low...
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|I can see shutting the lights off for an hour.. But not anything else :P
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|Funny how they never tell you to turn off the lights for support of the Kyoto Protocol. They only say, "do it for the earth." What a deceptive campaign. I'm all about not polluting, but the Kyoto Protocol is a garbage. President Bush, who didn't participate, did a better job reducing the US emissions than the European countries who did join (as reported with figures in the WSJ). Long live free enterprise!
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|Yet another testiment to bad science.
You don't need world summits for individuals to simply reduce waste that reduces their own bills.
What this is REALLY about is wealth redistribution.
It will be increasingly interesting to watch as so many who want to love Obama discover that they DON'T share his economic positions. ...Starting with spending ourselves out of debt... LOL!
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|If the banks don't lend people don't get loans/mortgages.
If people don't get loans/mortgages they can't pay for the house they're living in/can't pay their creditors.
If they can't pay for the house they live in/creditors, they're out on the streets.
The banks don't get the required savings investments to give people loans (except from repossession companies).
And so the circle continues.
Some sort of decision has to be made; it's a matter of time to see what gets decided (around the world) and whether it works.
If you're one of the "do nothing" types, then fine. Obviously we won't get to see how that would pan out (except possibly for Germany the last I heard), but for goodness sake, shut up and stay on topic, mmkay.
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|As usual, another non sequitur comment that fails to even grasp that to which I referred.
And the redistribution of wealth has NOTHING to do with bank loans, you nitwit.
Stick to figuring out how to solve the crisis in the UK over the 37% rise in the cost of concessionary rod licences for pensioners and disabled anglers imposed by the Environment Agency and Jonathan Shaw.
LOL!!!!
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|".Starting with spending ourselves out of debt... LOL!"
That bit does.
The rest is fine.
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|NO it does not!
Is always nice when someone who is clueless tries (incorrectly) to tell me to what I was referring; and then tells me that he knows better than I to what I was referring!
Excessively increasing debt by simply printing money without any correlative increase in the increase of real value (wealth), as fundamentally stupid as that is, in the name of establishing economic health and stability, has nothing to do with state imposed mandates and social engineering schemes designed to redistribute wealth from one group to another.
And much of Obama's plans do indeed intend this, as well as MUCH of the various eco-policies championed by those who want others to shoulder the responsibility while wealth is transfered to them in the form of favored status and exemptions.
But then its always humorous to listen to the comments of folks like you who choose to equate socialist economic philosophy with simple debt reduction!
But as usual, you're late with figuring out that to which a reference refers, and even later with a clue as to what it means.
LOL!
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|Real science says that one major volcanic eruption can do more to "damage" the earth's atmosphere than the entire industrial age of man...according to what "damage" is by pseudo science of global warming. CO2 is NOT even a "greenhouse gas", CO2 levels simply mirror the rise & fall of average temps, trailing the spikes and dips by 50-100 years...they do not drive temp changes.
http://www.globalwarmingheartland.org/
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|Don't worry. The eco wackos can't even explain the local minimums and maximums, let alone the larger cyclical inflection points of the larger cycles.
You see, for them, the answer is a static system that does not change! And I defy anyone to find such a system on earth...well aside from the rampant victim mentality of the liberals.
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|So, who else will be turning on every possible light?
What a joke...
Anyone know where I can get a hold of 10 or so spotlights?
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|Count me in! I might even turn on the central air just for kicks...
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|@PC_Tool the world isn't just light and dark (if you'll excuse the pun), you can just ignore it.
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|A much more productive act would be to simply ignore your gibberish.
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|But amusingly, you can't do it.
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|I said "productive". And I was/am correct.
Instead I respond to your gibberish (an to this forum in general) out of boredom and perverse entertainment...as a distraction from the more important responsibilities of the day.
;-)
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|The US is no longer the worst carbon polluter, China gained that distinction at least a year ago.
Those Kyoto signatories have utterly failed to adhere to the emissions standards the Kyoto Protocol set. So while the US Congress declined to sign the treaty, at least the US never pretended to be cutting back on emissions nor tried to force others to do so. That would be hypocrisy, something the rest of the world seems to have been very good at when it comes to emissions controls.
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|They never really talk about the cost to implement..
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|Long Live Coal!
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|During "earth hour" a reporter from a local radio station observed Al Gore's mansion to see if he was complying. The reporter stated he was the "only" reporter there and while Al did turn off the flood lights that illuminate his mansion he did not turn off the flood lights that illuminate his trees in his yard. Also reflections of several TV's were spotted inside the house and the inside was fully lit. I wonder if Al was actually in every room at the same time. I guess when you use 20 times the amount of electricity of the average consumer you might forget to turn off a light?
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|