Earth Hour is Upon Us!

Today, massive power outages are predicted around the world. However, it won't be the fall out from a catastrophe or a terrorist plot.

It will be the (fifth) annual orchestrated show of support for energy conservation and against climate change known as Earth Hour. From 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (local time), major cities around the globe will turn out their lights. Furthermore, according to this article, the organizers behind the event are urging people to turn off lights and other nonessential appliances in a symbolic show of support.

Harmless fun? I suppose. Of course, there's always a contrary opinion on such matters.

For instance, this D.C.-based nonprofit libertarian think tank, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), which contends that Earth Hour sends the wrong message.

To wit (and quoting the article):

The organization is holding its own event during Earth Hour 2011—Human Achievement Hour 2011—to celebrate human inventions and innovations that "make today the best time to be alive." CEI's suggested Human Achievement Hour activities include taking a hot shower, watching TV, or phoning friends.

"They want people to turn off all of their lights for one hour on a Saturday night in spring as a symbol of a vote for action on climate change," said Michelle Minton, CEI's director of insurance studies.

"We believe that a vote has to have a choice, so Human Achievement Hour is the alternative, where people think good things about technology as a way to reach solutions to the problems of today and tomorrow."

Human Achievement Hour—including a party at CEI's offices that will stream live on CEI.org—isn't meant to oppose individuals who want to save energy, Minton explained.

But CEI takes issue with those who would, according to Minton, use the environmental movement to encourage governments to force people to conserve.

"We believe that freedom is what's necessary for individuals to come up with improved technologies not only in the West—where we can just flip the switch back on whenever we want—but also in the developing world," Minton said.

"In some places it's Earth Hour every hour of every day."

Not an entirely unreasonable point.

Nuclear Power, Renewable Energy Choices, Japan and All That

Yeah, hi. Sorry it's been so long. This is going to be short. What with all the awful events transpiring in Japan, this seemed like an opportune time to bring up this post about how nuclear power is a double edged sword. Really.

So, isn't it interesting that according to this article in Grist, wind power in Japan stepped up and saved the day.

AND, isn't it even MORE interesting that the EU climate chief says wind power is cheaper than nuclear. Hmm ...

Thanks. And apologies. Last week was interesting for this blogger. I got good news (see the last title listed). Does the author's name look familiar? ;)

41 Reasons to Plant a Tree for Your Book

To celebrate the 41st anniversary of Earth Day, Eco-Libris is starting a campaign tomorrow. For 41 days (from March 13 through April 22), you (yes, you out there, reading this blog!) can submit a reason why you think planting a tree for your books is a good idea. And maybe get it listed on Eco-Libris' site. Isn't that cool? I thought so.

And you can participate, by clicking on the link right here. Be sure to scroll down and check out the prizes, too. Nice!

One other thing. I don't often get to tie this blog together with my life as an author and/or a reader. But this case is an exception. :)

Two Good Questions

Why does energy efficiency's promise remain unfulfilled? It's a perfectly good question posed in The Green Economy Post. Canadian steel fabricating company VeriForm Inc. cut its costs by installing more efficient lighting and automated heating systems, as well as finding ways to run its saws and other tools more efficiently. So how come other companies aren't jumping on the energy efficiency bandwagon?

Well, if you look a little further down in the article, there's a quote from someone with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) that sort of explains it.

I will quote the relevant section here (in italics):

R. Neal Elliott, director of research at ACEEE, says that one clear message that has emerged from his group’s 30 years of efforts to promote efficiency is that “people do not always make decisions based on what makes economic sense. The myth of the rational consumer is clearly that: a myth.”

As Elliott himself acknowledged, there are ways to explain at least some of what looks like economic irrationality. The McKinsey report highlighted several of these.

Start with sheer consumer ignorance about what savings efficiencies can achieve, or skepticism that projected savings will materialize, or simply that people have other things on their minds. Sometimes it’s a sort of false miserliness, a reluctance to invest money up front, even if the money is an investment that will quickly be paid back. Of course, even a consumer or business well aware of cost savings might simply not have enough cash or credit to make an up-front investment.

Hi. Me again. I'm not sure which is scarier. The ignorance itself or the fact that this hapless group has tirelessly promoted the energy efficiency cause for 30 years only to run into it, time and time again. Well ... onto the second question ...

What has the DoE (Department of Energy) done lately? I mean, seriously. We have a problem. And what do these people get paid to do? Really. (Hat tip to BarryonEnergy.)