Comments on: Earth Hour – Irrational Simplicity!? http://www.hartnall.com/2009/03/earth-hour-irrational-simplicity/ Attempting to convert random thoughts into sentences. Sat, 04 Sep 2010 06:47:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Kelvin Hartnall http://www.hartnall.com/2009/03/earth-hour-irrational-simplicity/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Kelvin Hartnall Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:09:17 +0000 http://www.hartnall.com/?p=260#comment-83 We have just participated in the Earth Hour. Despite my blogging that it was irrational and simplistic reasoning, we turned off all the lights, the hot-water, and even my computer! There were two reasons that helped justify this for me. One is that even if the sense behind it is poorly thought out, it is a good symbolic act to partake in. The second was that I realised that my reasoning on the renewable energy proportion considered the average unit of electricity. I probably shouldn't be considering the source of the average unit of energy, but rather the marginal unit of electricity. The marginal unit is non-renewable so any saving is actually all non-renewable energy. We have just participated in the Earth Hour. Despite my blogging that it was irrational and simplistic reasoning, we turned off all the lights, the hot-water, and even my computer!

There were two reasons that helped justify this for me. One is that even if the sense behind it is poorly thought out, it is a good symbolic act to partake in. The second was that I realised that my reasoning on the renewable energy proportion considered the average unit of electricity. I probably shouldn’t be considering the source of the average unit of energy, but rather the marginal unit of electricity. The marginal unit is non-renewable so any saving is actually all non-renewable energy.

]]> By: Kelvin Hartnall http://www.hartnall.com/2009/03/earth-hour-irrational-simplicity/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Kelvin Hartnall Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:02:23 +0000 http://www.hartnall.com/?p=260#comment-82 Good point Shane. I wonder how much carbon offset I'd need to offset our baby in June! Good point Shane. I wonder how much carbon offset I’d need to offset our baby in June!

]]> By: Shane Legg http://www.hartnall.com/2009/03/earth-hour-irrational-simplicity/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Shane Legg Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:35:14 +0000 http://www.hartnall.com/?p=260#comment-80 If you really want to reduce the carbon impact of humanity on earth... just don't have kids. And discourage others from having kids. The amount carbon generated by that child and all their potential offspring in the future is massive compared to turning a light off for a while. If you really want to reduce the carbon impact of humanity on earth… just don’t have kids. And discourage others from having kids. The amount carbon generated by that child and all their potential offspring in the future is massive compared to turning a light off for a while.

]]> By: Kelvin Hartnall http://www.hartnall.com/2009/03/earth-hour-irrational-simplicity/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Kelvin Hartnall Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:21:24 +0000 http://www.hartnall.com/?p=260#comment-79 Thanks Ben, I have taken that in the nicest possible way :-) You are correct, the objective of Earth Hour is to increase awareness of our impact on the earth. However, I think depth of thought and being analytical is really important with these problems. With economic problems, many simplistic appealing solutions tend to have unexpected consequences, which are often the reverse of those intended. So if Earth Hour just reinforces people’s belief in a simplistic appealing idea, then my concern is that it might not achieve its stated objective of really increasing awareness. Thanks Ben, I have taken that in the nicest possible way :-)

You are correct, the objective of Earth Hour is to increase awareness of our impact on the earth. However, I think depth of thought and being analytical is really important with these problems. With economic problems, many simplistic appealing solutions tend to have unexpected consequences, which are often the reverse of those intended. So if Earth Hour just reinforces people’s belief in a simplistic appealing idea, then my concern is that it might not achieve its stated objective of really increasing awareness.

]]> By: Ben Kepes http://www.hartnall.com/2009/03/earth-hour-irrational-simplicity/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Ben Kepes Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:28:38 +0000 http://www.hartnall.com/?p=260#comment-76 Kelvin - you are such so analytical (and I mean that in the nicest possible sense). I don't think the idea of earth hour is to take a big step back and burn candles and cook on bbqs. Rather it's an attempt to increase the awareness of our impact on the earth and yes, as you point out, just by writing this post the objectives are achieved.. Kelvin – you are such so analytical (and I mean that in the nicest possible sense). I don’t think the idea of earth hour is to take a big step back and burn candles and cook on bbqs. Rather it’s an attempt to increase the awareness of our impact on the earth and yes, as you point out, just by writing this post the objectives are achieved..

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