My was quite agitated by this announcement from the Chicago Police. I have to be honest and say that I have no problem with it, even though I agree that Earth Hour is a scam. It's designed to trick stupid people into giving money to "help fight global warming," even though we've seen that movement discredited over the past several months ("Climategate").
The police announcement is actually helpful, and here's why: There are, undoubtedly, some people who are still unaware of Earth Day, or do not fully understand what the event is, and might be confused or even frightened when they see lights going off all around them. Additionally, the announcement gives the good advice to "not turn off emergency, security, lobby, stairwell or hallway lights." Those lights, after all, are needed for safety. So, what ticked off my friend? No doubt it was this part: "Earth Hour is an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund, and is a voluntary event to call attention to the problem of climate change. Residents are encouraged to participate." I think he was okay up to point where it said that Earth Hour is meant to highlight "the problem of climate change" and that "Residents are encouraged to participate."
Let's break that down. Earth Hour is, in fact, brought to you by the environmental extremists at the World Wildlife Fund. It is, in fact, a voluntary event, and is, in fact, meant to "call attention" to "the problem of climate change." It is also fact that residents of Chicago "are encouraged to participate." Mayor Daley and most of his City Council of Fools, for example, encourage you participate. So, everything stated in the CPD announcement is, in fact, true. I don't think CPD is promoting Earth Day. They merely explained it and issued some related, common sense safety tips.
Even a conservative wingnut like me can agree that climate change happens, and that it presents problems. I don't agree that Humankind is the cause of it. For more than four billion years we've had ongoing climate change and it's likely that we always will. That said, climate change can present certain problems and challenges. Turning your lights off for one hour, however, and giving money to con artists is not the way to deal with it.
In case YOU don't know what Earth Day is, here's a brief explanation from the Earth Hour wackos themselves:
On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations. Learn more about how Earth Hour began, what we’ve accomplished, and what is in store for 2010.
Promoting that symbolism is expensive. Newspaper and magazine ads, billboards, placards on taxis and buses and trains and so on cost money. The salaries for the staff at the World Wildlife Fund costs money, too, which is why they ask you to donate to the cause. You, too, could be a "Partner in Conservation," starting with a donation of $1,000.
Parishioners of the Church of Global Warming & Climate Change can rest easier knowing that the money they give to save a drowning polar bear will actually help pay to keep the lights on at the offices of the World Wildlife Fund. Keep that in mind when you turn out the lights in your home during Earth Hour.
