Response to Earth Hour's activities

In March, an email with the theme "Please turn off the lights for one hour at 8:30-9:30 pm on March 28th, 2009" was circulated on the Internet and forwarded by many netizens. On the Internet of China with 300 million netizens, activities and discussions related to "Earth Hour" are in full swing.

It is reported that many large websites have set up special pages to report this in the form of special topics and special editions. Some websites also launched personalized homepages on March 28th, and their page background will change from "bright" to "dark" with the new "switch" button on the page, so that more netizens can also participate in the "Earth Hour" activities.

In online discussion forums and forums, netizens express their opinions. Some netizens plan to use this rare hour to "take a flashlight and go for a walk downstairs" or "look up at the stars on the balcony and count them one by one"; Some netizens suggested nostalgia, revisiting childhood games, and finding a few intimate friends to play chicken, hide-and-seek and play house in the evening … to experience childhood again; Some netizens suggested having a candlelight dinner with close friends and having a "storytelling contest" with neighbors and colleagues. Some netizens just want to be quiet, practice yoga or think about problems. ...

For a time, "12 constellation scheme after lights out" became popular on the Internet, and some netizens created different versions of lights-out schemes, for example, the enjoyment version-lighting incense, sticking a mask and soaking feet; Warm version-lighting candles at home and chatting with family; Pet version-walking the dog at night; Humorous version-Like Ge You in If You Are the One, he repented in the dark and made an inventory of all the behaviors that are not environmentally friendly and harmful to the earth since kindergarten.

Most netizens expressed their support for "Earth Hour". Everyone regards this unplugged hour as an opportunity to enhance their feelings, a rare opportunity to return to nature and get close to nature. The famous pianist Lang Lang suggested that everyone listen to music. "Listening to music in a dark environment can highly concentrate and completely immerse yourself in the melody. At that moment, you will be deeply moved and will stimulate your imagination. " In 2009, Allianz Life Insurance Company, the first Sino-European joint venture life insurance company in China, officially announced that it would become a member of the response enterprise in Earth Hour, China, and actively took actions to protect the environment, save energy and cope with climate change, becoming the first foreign insurance company to participate in this activity. On the day of the event, the company will turn off the building lights and advertising lights of Shanghai Allianz Center for one hour. In addition, the company also launched a nationwide initiative to encourage employees to participate in the promotion of this activity.

-Facing the challenge of environmental change, Allianz strives to achieve the goal of green emission reduction from within enterprises. In 20 10, the annual greenhouse gas emissions of Allianz employees decreased by 14% compared with 2009, the personal energy consumption decreased by 3% compared with 2009, and the green electricity consumption rate increased by 25% compared with 2009.

-20 10 Allianz's carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 27% compared with 2006, exceeding 7% of its greenhouse gas emission reduction plan, which was completed two years ahead of schedule.

-20 10 Allianz was awarded the global sustainable development leader by the Dow Jones World Sustainable Development Index (DJSI World) for the fifth consecutive year.

Vanke, a leading real estate enterprise in China, will work with 250,000 Vanke owners nationwide to implement sustainable garbage sorting and recycling in the community, so as to reduce the garbage in the Vanke community by 20%.

HSBC HSBC in 37 countries around the world turned off the office lights on the evening of the 28th.

Canon also turned off landscape lighting, called on employees to go home and turn off the lights, and posted posters of activities in more than 700 dealerships;

The landscape lighting of 240 stores of Jinjiang Inn and 44 properties of CapitaLand was closed.

Yayue Hotel held a "Earth Hour Night" in its "Green Room" during its "Earth Hour", lit candles and invited guests to have a free drink for one hour.

New World Shopping Mall, IKEA and Wal-Mart in Beijing and Shanghai turn off landscape lighting, and advocate green consumption with customers ... environmental awareness awakens.

1962, Rachel Carson, an American biologist, wrote in her book Silent Spring, which was later called the first time that human beings paid attention to environmental issues, "We took great risks and tried our best to transform nature to meet our wishes", "But the fact is that nature is not easy to be shaped", and the long-term road of human development "seems flat and comfortable, but

Turning off the lights for an hour may be just a drop in the bucket for saving energy and reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases and other polluting gases caused by power generation. However, when the environmental awareness inspired by this is deeply rooted in people's hearts and transformed into ideas, when ideas are transformed into actions, and when actions become habits, the contribution to global environmental protection will never be limited to numbers. (xinhuanet)

The impact of climate change on human beings knows no boundaries. Rich or poor, each of us is equally vulnerable to climate change. In the fight against climate change, cooperation among governments, individuals and social institutions is very important. Each of us is a villager in the global village. As long as we turn off the lights for an hour, we can make practical contributions to reducing carbon emissions and changing the future of the earth. (Na Hua, Deputy Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme)

The Earth Hour incident shows that the whole world can unite in times of crisis, and the global economic crisis is a good example. 2009 is a year that will determine the future of the earth. Major countries in the world will make plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions on a large scale this year. This also provides a good opportunity to invest in a new model of low-carbon new economy. We must work together to realize these changes. Our concerted action can change history and ensure the future of the earth. (Andy Reid, Global Executive Director of Earth Hour)

The effect of energy saving and emission reduction is remarkable.

In 2008, the energy consumption of Earth Hour in Sydney decreased by 8.4%, which was equivalent to extinguishing 6,543.8+600,000 light bulbs. According to the data released by Christchurch, the only city in New Zealand that officially participated in the lights-out activities, the energy consumption decreased by nearly 13% after one hour of lights-out. There is no doubt that the publicity effect of the lights-out show is far greater than the actual emission reduction effect. Under the relay of the global "Lights Out Show", more people began to realize the importance of energy conservation and emission reduction, and participated in this activity in their own way.

In 2008, with the arrival of "Earth Hour", citizens of many famous cities in the world began to enjoy candlelight dinners from Fiji, New Zealand to Australia, and then to Asia, Europe and America. Among them, the landmark cathedral in Christchurch, the third largest city in New Zealand, took the lead in turning off the lights under the auspices of the mayor. Hundreds of local people watched a documentary about environmental protection in Cathedral Square, and then flocked to local restaurants and bars together. All the candles were lit here and a candlelight dinner was held. Thousands of families have also started romantic candlelight trysts at home.

"Don't underestimate turning off the lights for an hour," said Hongyi, vice president of Bigen Investment China. "This city is one of the places that use a lot of electricity. If the city can turn off the unnecessary landscape lights for an hour, the energy saved will be a great number. "

"In just 60 minutes, you can actually make a great contribution to the earth, because every time you save 1 kWh, you reduce the emissions of 1 kg of carbon dioxide and 0.03 kg of sulfur dioxide." A WWF volunteer said.

According to statistics, in 2007, the first year of Earth Hour, Sydney, Australia set a goal of reducing energy consumption by 5%; On March 3rd, 2007 1 day, the electricity saved by Sydney alone was enough for 200,000 TV sets to run1hour, which was equivalent to 486 13 cars running one less trip an hour, and the effect of energy saving and emission reduction was remarkable.

"Earth Hour" is more than just a light-off ceremony. In China, this activity is also the biggest support for the country to achieve the energy efficiency goal of 20% energy saving and emission reduction by 20 10, aiming at encouraging individuals and enterprises to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and take active actions to deal with climate change. Earth Hour is an energy-saving concept. Whether using electricity at work or at home, we need our long-term efforts and support to remind ourselves to turn off unnecessary lights and unplug unnecessary power. On the night of March 23, the lights of 300 million people went out at 20:30, 265, 438+0: 30 and 22:30-no different from other nights of the year. Without electricity, these people have to live in the darkness after sunset.

On the same night, another 654.38 billion people turned off their lights at 20:30-2654.38+0:30 to participate in environmental protection activities in Earth Hour.

Organizers say they provide a way for people to express their desire to "do something" for global warming. But the grim reality is that "Earth Hour" has left a wrong impression on people, and the resulting carbon dioxide emissions are increasing. This activity may inspire people's sense of justice, but this futile symbolic significance just reveals the problem of modern self-feeling environmentalism.

Earth Hour told people that it is easy to deal with global warming. But I'm afraid the effect of turning off the lights is just unclear.

It should be noted that the activity did not require people to turn off any really inconvenient items, such as heating or air conditioning, television, computers, mobile phones, or various technologies that rely on sufficient and cheap electricity to maintain modern life. If it's really good to turn off the lights for one hour every year, why can't people stick to it for the remaining 8759 hours?

People take it for granted that turning off the lights for one hour will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of power plants around the world. But even if all the people in the world turn off all residential lighting, the electricity saved will be completely converted into carbon dioxide emission reduction, which is only equivalent to China suspending carbon dioxide emission for less than 4 minutes. In fact, "Earth Hour" will increase carbon dioxide emissions.

The national grid operators in the United Kingdom found that a small-scale decline in electricity consumption will not lead to a reduction in grid-connected electricity, so it will not in turn reduce emissions. In addition, a significant drop in power demand during the "Earth Hour" period will lead to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions within one hour, but the surge in energy consumption caused by the resumption of power supply in coal-fired or gas-fired power plants will offset all the reduced emissions.

Many participants lit warm candles. Although it looks natural and environmentally friendly, candles are fossil fuels after all-and their lighting efficiency is less than 65,438+0% of incandescent bulbs. Turning off the lights and lighting candles may offset the theoretical carbon dioxide emission reduction; But lighting two candles means an increase in carbon dioxide emissions.

Electricity has brought great benefits to mankind. Nearly 3 billion people still burn cow dung, branches and other traditional fuels indoors for cooking and heating, and the resulting toxic smog causes about 2 million deaths every year, most of them are women and children. Similarly, just 100 years ago, American families spent an average of 6 hours a week shoveling 6 tons of coal into the stove in the cold winter (and this did not include the time to clean carpets, furniture, curtains and bedding). Nowadays in developed countries, electric stoves and heaters have made indoor air pollution a thing of the past.

In order to achieve the goal of green energy, people must give up the outdated subsidy policy for unreliable solar energy and wind energy. This policy has failed for 20 years and will not succeed in another 22 years. Instead, people should focus on creating new and more effective green technologies to replace fossil fuels.

If we really want to create a sustainable future for mankind and the earth, people should not fall into darkness again. Turning off the lights and enjoying a candlelight dinner to cope with climate change is inevitably a bit like "why don't you eat meat if you don't have food?" I really don't know the sufferings of the people, so it is only suitable for elites with sufficient power supply and comfortable life.

Paying attention to the research and development of green energy may not be as comfortable as attending a global gathering of flashlights and goodwill, but it is much wiser.