Electricity

[blueyes]

Hello, all - as QLC's (only?) resident environmental consultant (read: ecofreak :p ), I'm passing this along from our overseas offices (this came in first from Hungary and then Poland). While I'm not begging you to participate, I am asking that you consider it and pass the information along. Even if all you do is give it a tiny bit of thought, that's enough for me.

The Alliance for the Planet [a group of environmental associations] is calling on all citizens to create 5 minutes of electrical rest for the planet.

People all over the world should turn off their lights and electrical appliances on the first of February 2007, between 1.55 pm and 2.00 pm in New York, 1.55pm in Ottawa,*10.55am on the Pacific Coast of North America.* This is not just about saving 5 minutes worth of electricity; this is about getting the attention of the media, politicians, and ourselves.**Five minutes of electrical down time for the planet: this does not take long, and costs nothing, and will show all political leaders that global warming is an issue that needs to come first and foremost in political debate.*

Why February 1? This is the day when the new UN report on global climate change will come out in Paris.* This event affects us all, involves us all, and provides an occasion to show how important an issue global warming is to us.

[Winter Storm]

People all over the world should turn off their lights and electrical appliances on the first of February 2007, between 1.55 pm and 2.00 pm in New York,

Any idea why they picked the middle of the day when many of us will be at work and can't turn off anything?

[blueyes]

Not a clue. It's inconvenient, true - but my guess is that it has something to do with when the Parisian contingent quits for the day.

[old_school_soul]

Five minutes of electrical down time for the planet: this does not take long, and costs nothing,

How many Polish nurses does it take to unplug my heart monitor/dialysis/respirator?

It seems they should send the message via postal mail. It's like having TV advertisements that's say you watch you too much TV.

[EmberMae]

I promise, all the lights and appliances in my apartment will be off at 12:55 tomorrow. Well except maybe the refridgerator. As far as my work---probably not going to happen.

[beeblebrox]

I already have cut down on my electricity usage because the ComEd rates have soared since the rate freeze is over in Chicago and Illinois. I'm getting more CFL lights tonight as well.

[pisces2473]

I already have cut down on my electricity usage because
CL&P's rates continue to skyrocket. Asshats.

[EmberMae]

I switched all my bulbs to compact flourescents over the summer, except the ones in the bathroom & closet. I haven't seen a difference in my bill, unfortunately. My bill last month was inexplicably huge.

[meatwad]

Yeah, no offense, but this is kind of a lame idea. It isn't going to prove anything or open anyone's eyes. And I turn off everything in my house for the eight hours I'm asleep.

[BlueEyedFunOne]

CL&P's rates continue to skyrocket. Asshats.

Indeed they are asshats! For my roommate and I, who are rarely home (and turn stuff off when we leave!), our bill was $155 last month. Ridiculous.

Maybe I should try using candles for light and leaving my food on the porch to stay cold :lol:

[cache]

Yeah. This is a fantastic, well thought out idea. Cut power usage for 5 minutes - everyone at the same time. So 5 minutes later everyone turns everything back on and we have blackouts from the surges.

[pisces2473]

Indeed they are asshats! For my roommate and I, who are rarely home (and turn stuff off when we leave!), our bill was $155 last month. Ridiculous.

Maybe I should try using candles for light and leaving my food on the porch to stay cold :lol:
Yes, our bill was $185! We keep the heat at 50 or 55 when we're not home, and we don't leave ANYTHING on, besides our computers. WTF????

[Winter Storm]

Yes, our bill was $185! We keep the heat at 50 or 55 when we're not home, and we don't leave ANYTHING on, besides our computers. WTF????
Wow. I've been fortunate. My bill has only been around $50 and I keep mine at 68.

[BlueEyedFunOne]

Yes, our bill was $185! We keep the heat at 50 or 55 when we're not home, and we don't leave ANYTHING on, besides our computers. WTF????

Oh - you must have electric baseboard heat? Our heat is gas - so we have a completely separate bill for that. Not cheap either.

STILL. CL&P is loony.

I did an experiment a few weeks ago to find out if any other sources were pulling on our electric meter - PM me if ya want to know about it...I feel bad enough for threadjacking :(

[pisces2473]

Yes, electric heat. Holy crap about your bill then, if heat WASN'T included.

[redav]

I switched all my bulbs to compact flourescents over the summer, except the ones in the bathroom & closet. I haven't seen a difference in my bill, unfortunately. My bill last month was inexplicably huge.
A legislator in California recently announced that he wants to ban incandescent bulbs. (http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/01/how_many_legisl.html)

I saw somewhere they estimate that 20% of your home's electric consumption is for lights. For me, my base consumption (everything except HVAC - 'fridge, lights, microwave, W/D, etc) is about 6 kW*hr/day. But when the AC is on in summer, it's more like 45. (I have a gas furnace, so the electric consumption in winter only increases for the blower--to about 10 kW*hr/day, but I only need to use it about 2 months, if that). That tells you where the big savings are to be had.

[Xander]

Interesting read:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=156df7e6-d490-41c9-8b1f-106fef8763c6&k=0

I actually haven't looked into the real statistics behind global warming (how many of us here are climatologists?), but the argument for man-made global warming has been singled out to CO2. A single variable explaining a complex system sounds extremely faulty, based on my statistics background.

Systems as complex as global climate are never isolated to a few variables, so it's hard for me to buy into the panic policy... at the same time, of course I'm extremely concerned about our environment. We should reduce pollutants for the sake of reducing pollutants (enhancing quality of life), but doing it for "global warming"... I'd need more facts to dig through.

Good luck with the boycott.

[spokes]

i like the idea of a boycott - however i doubt that my employer is going to want to shut down all the electiricty in the office for a couple of minutes to make a statement - not to mention the liability issues if there was ever a fire or other emergency in the building at that time.....if it was on a weekend i'd partiicpate.