Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Earth Hour aka Carnal Hour

Every year I complain a little (okay, a lot) about Earth Hour and what it means and all that. Two years ago I caved in at the last minute and felt compelled to participate for a variety of reasons. It didn't go very well, mostly because the kids kept getting up and couldn't figure out why it was dark, but anyway, the point being that I have issues with Earth Hour.

Last year I decided to spice things up and promoted Earth Hour by suggesting that people spend that hour in bed. Either with themselves or others.

This Saturday is Earth Hour 2011 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm your local time. In spite of all the corporate greenwashing sponsorship, how can we turn Earth Hour around? Well again, this year I propose that, in order to make it more personally meaningful, we spend the hour not just with the lights off, but that the hour is spent doing some hanky panky with your favorite partner. Or, if you don't have a partner, just yourself will do (just make sure those toys are solar powered).

Now, I know for many of you, it is difficult to get your significant (or not so significant) other to play along with your environmentally or eco-friendly green shenanigans. But, if you propose Earth Hour as a Carnal Hour and sweeten the pot with some of your honey, I bet they'll be plenty of takers out there.

They shouldn't be too hard to convince. Sometimes all it takes is a little motivation! And, unless contraception is an issue, what could be more environmentally friendly than a little lovin'? With the lights off?

Anyway, not to be a total killjoy, but if you are planning on lighting candles to improve the mood, make sure you avoid paraffin and choose soy or beeswax instead. Don't make me repeat my admonishments. So, let the sparks fly, just try not to burn the house down. That's not very environmentally friendly.

Are you planning on participating in Earth Hour, in any fashion? Did you participate in Carnal Hour last year?

15 comments:

lisa said...

Oh sure. If I could get the kids to Not get up and ask why it is dark and the doors are nailed shut. haha!!

Of course...I do have the Westy out in the driveway.

melissa said...

Go for soy candles. Beeswax is theft and stealing from bees is unkind to the planet!

Chadly said...

I've never figured out where to buy soy or beeswax candles :/

Alyson said...

I have not participated in Earth Hour because we should be promoting Earth 24/7! BUT if we can get our son to bed in time, lights off...candles...and some alone time with my hubby sounds good. Maybe I should participate this year. ;)

My husband and I have been talking and we thought it would be an interesting experiment if we tried for no electricity for one week. Have you tried something like this before?

Great blog!!! I love reading!

-Alyson @ www.peacefulmamma.blogspot.com

K said...

Ah yes, but soy is a huge mono-cultured crop that destroys important ecosystems and pollutes our earth and air.

Every wonder how many animals and birds are killed when crops are harvested with huge combines? Here's a hint - many farmers have drag chains on the front, to startle birds into flying away before they can be killed. And they sometimes work on animals as well - but I do know of more than one prairie farmer that has accidentally killed a baby antelope with a combine.

I'm sorry, but there is no 100% animal-friendly way to live on this earth. At least beeswax doesn't kill any bees!

Q said...

We haven't turned lights on in our oartment for about 2 years now, and I'll be asleep. So yes I will be participating.

I don't understand why people get so bitter about things like earth day and earth hour. It's the same as complaining that the latest episode of Dora the explorer didn't have enough fast paced action for them. It's not geared for "our people"(admit it, we are a special breed) it's focus is people who don't take the time to care about the environment the rest of the time. And sometimes, it's days like this that convert someone to our ranks.

For events like this we should think of ourselves as the playschool teacher guiding the small children to learn the alphabet. Only this time it's showing people how easy it can be to turn off some lights and maybe sit in the dark for a little bit, even if it does seem more difficult than it is.

Laura Kaeding said...

We have participated in Earth (aka carnal) hour for the past two years. We also make sure there aren't lights on that we don't need. Earth hour is after the kidlet goes to bed, and the roommate leaves for the night so we can hanky panky it up on the living room for a change! I love earth hour, and I love that it has helped people realize that small actions do add up.

Crunchy Chicken said...

Melissa - I'm not sure I agree with your statement there on bee thievery.

Chadly - I get them from our grocery store but I guess it depends on where you live. Do you have a Whole Foods or food co-op in your area?

Alyson - No, we haven't just because I doubt I could get the rest of the family to play along. If it were just me, there would be no doubt about it!

K - My only suggestion there is to get organic soy candles (which is kind of what I assumed people would choose) and hopefully there's less critter bycatch. It's a matter of impact from electricity versus impact from alternate sources of lighting... there's no easy answer.

Julia's Child said...

Hysterical!

Although I have trouble with Earth Hour too, though mostly because to me it just sounds as if Earth Day got a demotion. Will it soon become Earth Minute, and then Earth Second?

Yeah, I'm just a little hung up on semantics. I'd better go light a beeswax candle and chill out. (Beeswax candles are thick on the ground in Vermont, and the bees are doing well here in spite of it.)

Wendy said...

Sounds awesome!

The only problem I'll have is convincing my pre-teens that 8:30 is bed time on a Saturday night. So, while I'd love to participate in the love-fest, a more likely scenario is that we'd turn out the lights, light an olive oil lamp and sit around the table being goofy.

Dmarie said...

*chuckle* this will certainly make Earth Hour more interesting! ...brings to mind all those snippets in the movie Amelie, just thinking of everyone simultaneously participating in "carnal hour." what a hoot!

Chadly said...

We have a couple of good grocery stores that have natural/organic options, but no Whole Foods that I know of. There's an Earth Fare, but it's almost an hour away.

Kathy M said...

Great post. I'll be generating some heat with your suggestion!

Su said...

I'll probably write a complaining blog about Earth Hour being not nearly enough (as has been my custom for a couple of years; what can I say? I like complaining), but after that I'm sure I'll participate. Especially if I rename it Carnal Hour. Great plan.

brad said...

What about the other 50 minutes?

KIDDING.

Hey, are you allowed to say, "hanky panky" on the internet?