Earth Hour
Earth Hour starts in Sydney, Australia, at 20.00 (0900GMT) today. Lights will be turned off for an hour to highlight the threat of climate change. Other participants around the world including London, Chicago, and Bangkok, will follow suit when their clocks reach 20.00 local time.
Despite being a keen news-hawk, I’ve only just found out about this, although apparently Google will be marking the day by putting a dark background on its home page. That’s nice.
I’m not sure how a change of CSS styling is going to help, but hey—it’s the thought that counts, isn’t it? If only. While lights on major landmark buildings will go out, participation by individuals is entirely voluntary and precious few ordinary citizens will be aware of Earth Hour because, in the UK at least, there’s been very little coverage of the event in advance of it happening, in TV and radio news slots and newspaper columns that actually matter—in so far as they are read, listened to, or watched.
Yeah, I’m being very British, very cynical. I know. But I have a point and I’ve made it. Which is more than I think we will be able to say when Earth Hour is over and fossil fuel-guzzling business as usual resumes.

