The energy wouldn't actually be saved, it would be sold to the US and like our experience with California, hopefully they will even pay for it.

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think the intent of the Earth hour had very little to do w/ $$$ savings but with being environmently friendlier...money isn't everything ya' know!!!

If BC Hydro were "buying" thermally generated power from Alberta, which it may well have been doing at the time of "Earth Hour", (since it "buys" outside power from the NA power grid in off-peak periods at a reduced rate, and "sells" hydro-generated power into that grid at peak load times, when the rate it receives for it is much higher), the whole exercise wouldn't have been very 'environmentally friendly' at all.

To maximize efficiency, including efficiency in controlling polluting smokestack emissions, a thermal plant has to operate at full capacity. When load falls, and it's throttled back, MORE pollution goes up the stack, since combustion isn't achieved at as high a temperature in the boiler's furnace. And it smokes. So what was really gained?

They talk about the savings 'statistically', and what might be accomplished if we repeated the process more universally, and every night. But if Hydro lost that much revenue, 'actually', every night, in the face of debt repayments, bond interest and other operating charges that haven't dropped at all, where do you think the shortfall in revenue is going to come from? It won't be from power sales to California, whether they pay us or not, that's for damn sure!

I personally turned on all my lights and turned on our 3 vichicals and went to the shop and let our 4 diesal 2 stroke skidders run all night. Then when I was done all that I went out to a buddys house where I encouraged him to turn the heat up and the lights on.

Oh because it was a little cold out the skidders smoked for a while

trying to give us lung cancer rightwing????? My kids and I thank you.

Thanks for helping out rightwing. It's great to see there are still people willing to go out of their way to sabotage the efforts of others. But I guess that's what we should expect from the political far right.

Even if you don't believe the co2 thing, conservation keeps supply greater, demand lower( which may keep prices down) and improves air quality.
Right Wing save some fuel, use the money to pay for spelling lessons.

Myself and some friends talked, and we all agreed to turn on extra lights and TV's at that time.
IMO it was a stupid example, that served no purpose, and helped nothing.
A few lights off 1 hour per year is a joke at best.
Next year I plan to turn up my furnace and flip on the christmas lights as well.....i forgot to this year.

I think it was meant to raise awareness not save money. Lights use very little juice anyhow.

Conservation is great but I'm still not buying into the whole "global warming" hysteria. I can totally understand people rebelling against this sort of politically correct bs, it's more than a little annoying.

Death to Socialism, Rightwing and Turbocat,

It's your right to not believe in global warming, if you don't want too. Lots of people still don't believe in evolution, that ciggarettes are bad for you, that the earth is round, etc. The "scientific dispute" over global warming is generated by a very, very small minority of scientists with a socio-political agenda.

The question is:

What is the consequence if you're wrong and the overwhelming majority of the world's leading scientists are right? The world goes to hell in a handbasket, and you'll be writing on this Web site 20-30 years later complaining why nobody warned you.

What is the consequence if the world's leading minds are wrong and you're right? You saved some money on fuel, electricity etc., reduced air pollution and cut our dependency on limited fossil fuel resources (which we will have to do at some point anyway).

I'm not some tree-hugging hippie. I'm just a realist. It's a simple cost/risk analysis. We're playing Russian Roulet with the future of the world, and five out of six chambers are loaded. We can't just cross our fingers and hope the empty chamber comes up when we pull the trigger. Even if all our efforts can only take one bullet out of the cylinder, it's better than nothing.

It was to raise awareness and hopefully get peoples attention to look at the bigger picture with an open mind.

Freak Out, Art.

There may well be 'global warming', but the 'science' on how much of it is human caused, and what can be done about any of it that is, is somewhat suspect.

As long as we're unable to fully PAY (financially), FOR what we've done FROM what we've done, but can only do so FROM what we're DOING, or are going to have to do, there is no way on God's green or any other coloured Earth we can ever 'solve' the problem of man's contribution to global warming.

We can shift it, from one thing or place to another, but the problem, if there is one, will still be there. And those who advocate all the wild and wonderful 'financial' penalties we're supposed to endure for our global warming ways will be the LAST to ever advocate looking at that 'real' problem. Now just WHY do you all suppose that is?

typical Good OL PG we rank at the bottom of the pack, "That saying about "British Columbia the best place on Earth" should say "British Columbia the best place on Earth except for Pigs Gorge" since we sucked at the hour of power down, and are on the list for high crime. Oh well this is my home and I am not ashamed to say I come from here most of the time anyways

Do you know what I find funny, that most of our society wants us to be greener yet no one wants to pay for it. They expect govt to do something but thats just another pocket in the same pants. Oh I know a way, lets put some more taxes on gas to limit use. Whine Whine Whine. Ok lets build some more dams and wind mills. Whine Whine Whine, you cant flood this valey, you cant cut down trees for the power lines. Whine Whine Whine. Why doesent CN Rail stop using diesal engins and start using electric. Sounds good hey, but wait...now we need to open a new coal generating plant to power this. Sounds good hey. And really, how much does canada polute compaired to the rest of the developed and undeveloped world. Canada being more "green" is like everyone in PG peeing off the bridge to help the ice jam. Besdies last time I checked Burning oil and electrisity in general is good for cananda. Someone once told me that cows are the biggest culprets when it comes to emiting co2.

P.S - if you dont like my spelling - sound it out:p

"The energy wouldn't actually be saved"

I tried filling up my rechargeables during that hour so I could save it, but realized that I could not use and save at the same time ..... so I recharged them afterwards and now I have energy banked for future use ...... feels great to have energy savings in my pocket at the ready as soon as I need it.

;-)

rightwing: your point was what?? That your a dick?

rightwing... 3 out of 10 fer spiling. Try to read. Anything. It will help yer spillin'.

50 Million participated on Saturday evening. 50 Million who decided to so some thing positive and pro-active rather than purposely doing the opposite. The purpose was awareness, so even those who didn't participate were aware of it. Purpose accomplished. Chester

Now we're "aware" there are 50 million who can be duped into thinking an hour of going around in the dark is going to accomplish something, you can rest assured our politicians will be "aware" that they have to dress any future tax increases in the "it's going to help save the planet" excuse.

Death to Socialism, Rightwing and Turbocat

4th year in grade 2? Or have you given up and trying home school now?

Arthur Williams you have to get caught up on the new science of so called global warming. I think you have spent too much time listening to Al Gore, who by the way is making millions out of this. No bias there. Turns out recent research is showing there has been no temperature increase for the last 10 years, actually global cooling. Also the oceans have been showing a cooling trend for the last 4 years. One of the best websites I have found for information is icecap.us, also check out its links. Chasing Co2 is bad science taking money away from legitimate enviromental concerns. There are not thousands of scientsts believing this, only a few dozen that would sign the IPCC accord.

seems the "icecaposis" virus is rearing its ugly head again

Hey govsux check it out. If you don't how can you criticize.

Twas an excersise in sheep herding techniques.
50 million sheep cooperated.

"Like lambs to the slaughter", as the old saying goes.

I have checked it out and others. I just think that fully endorsing one side, or the other, of the argument is foolish. There are people with agendas on both sides.
I know PG is much warmer in winter than it was when I moved here 23 yrs ago.
I'm suspicious of carbon currency.
I don't know the cause or pretend to, but I know energy is gonna get real expensive. And I know I overconsume and waste alot.
I don't see a problem with conservation and clean air.
In the middle of left and right -sensibility