Mar 29 2008
Meaningless Symbolic Gestures
Today’s the big day! Aren’t you excited?!?! Starting today, at 8 PM local, cities across the world will turn off the power in a few of their unused office buildings as a meaningless symbolic gesture to the “Earth Hour” movement.
I mean, really. Besides the neat-o factor of seeing downtown Chicago dark, what is this trying to prove? If you really want to save energy, turn off the 50-bazillion streetlights. Or the parking lots which are illuminated like the noon-day sun at all hours of the day or night.
I know, I know. It’s to “raise awareness”–but that line of B.S. is worn out. All this fucking “raising awareness” and feel-good crap which actually does very very little to solve any problems. I feel good about myself for running in a breast cancer awareness race! Now I don’t have to think about that problem for another year. Give me a break.
Instead of “raising awareness” all the god-damned time, why don’t we actually do something to solve the problem. Always looking for the easy way out. Trouble is, the easy way is never a viable long-term solution.
It would be a “killer joke” (as Evelyn would say) if our antiquated power grid fails this evening, just because a couple dozen office buildings turn off their power all at the same time. That, my friends, would be unintended consequences in action.
2 Responses to “Meaningless Symbolic Gestures”
Of course, even more idiotic is that these downtown buildings will not be able to “turn off their power”. The best they can do it turn off their lights. What, are you going to shut down every computer, every AC unit, every elevator, every alarm system? Come on.
One rack of servers, of which there are dozens of racks in a typical corporate building, uses more power than an entire floors worth of light.
This event is also being brought to us by the WWF, one of the most constant sources of junk mail I’ve ever experienced. They run neck and neck with the Sierra club. Why is it that the “save the earthers” send me the most crap to throw out?