Thursday 29 March 2012

Earth Hour

The World Wildlife Fund is asking everyone to turn off their lights on Sat March 31st. for one hour (or more) between 8:30pm and 9:30pm. The gesture symbolises your commitment to do something beneficial for the planet. I do it as part of making the world a safer place for the next generation.

I also happen to think that artificial light isn't all that good for us. We force our bodies to get out of sync with our internal clock and lose touch with the natural rhythms of the planet. When I was a child in "Ye Olde English Village" we only had one street light in the whole place. It was put up as a safety measure at the only intersection. Two weeks later an oldtimer rode his bike into it. He said he had been confused by the glare. We were all so used to navigating by starlight.

Click on the link below for some cool ideas.      


I will have no trouble turning the lights off at 8:30pm  and keeping them off. I have to rise at dawn to set up a table at the flea market. (Queensland Community Centre, 8am to 3pm). I'm selling part of my late mother in law's doll collection. There is no room for them at B.M.F. We have already given over a hundred to social services. I was reluctant to approach them, the staff have so much to do already, but they were pleased. The dolls will be given to children when they are taken into care (this just about breaks my heart).

Some more went to the daycare. This was before I saw Toy Story  3.


My daughter and I picked out our favourites to keep and the rest will, I hope, find loving homes on Saturday.






6 comments:

  1. Sweet looking dolls. I know it's bittersweet giving them away. I hadn't heard about the lights out night. I can remember how dark the nights used to be, and how wonderful it was to look at the stars. Now there's so much light pollution. It's sad to know some people have never really even seen the stars from their own porch.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm married to an astronomer so light pollution is a big deal around here. Now back to washing little plastic arms and legs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm torn... I love to watch the stars, hate those horrid rotten orange lights that spoil the night time sky. BUT a couple of weeks ago I saw someone trying to break into cars, he wouldn't have been spotted or caught if it had been dark. Shame there are those out there to spoil things for others. x

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have to admit when I go "home" for a visit I'm a bit nervous in all that dark. Our city is slowly replacing the street lights with "downward" beams only. The real problem is the office towers leaving the lights on all night.

    ReplyDelete
  5. My classroom is very bright with no windows. I call it the 'bomb shelter'. If I stay at work too late and don't spend enough time in natural light, I'm cranky and can't sleep. I'd much rather have natural light than artificial. :o) You grew up in a town with one light? I can't imagine!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We weren't even a one horse town, we had to share the horse from the next village:)

      Delete