you have got to be kidding me...: Earth Hour

You know how the hype about saving Mother Nature has taken over our lives by storm in recent years?

While I think it's a noble effort to TRY to get people to help conserve energy through Earth Hour (held traditionally on the last Saturday of each March from 8.30pm-9.30pm local time), I think it's just a bunch of fluff.

Yes. You. Heard. Me. Right.

FLUFF

Why?

If you really want to help save Mother Nature and conserve energy, ONE hour per person in ONE year isn't making that much of a difference.

This whole Earth Hour thingie, is just so that posers can feel good about themselves.... like they've done something.

Think about it. Most people are doing it to be cool and go around telling others "Hey I turned off all the electrical appliances in my home for one hour during Earth Hour, did you?"

You think I'm being cocky, I know... but seriously... think about it... participating in Earth Hour only is like going on a crash diet. And we all know that's not the best way to lose weight.

If you really want to help save Mother Nature and conserve energy, try reducing your carbon foot print on a daily basis.

Be a localvore!

Try to eat foods that are available locally as much as possible. The more imported your foods are, the higher the carbon foot print. Of course the occassional indulgence is allowed but, really... keep it occassional.

You could also try to grown your own stuff. With living space constraints, it's not really possible to plant enough fruits/veg to sustain you (and your family), but it still helps a bit. Plus, at least you'll know the quality of the fruit/veg that you'll be eating!

Save electricity!

Use energy saving bulbs and remember to turn lights and switches off whenever not in use. This can really make a difference in your electricity bill

You should also check your electrical appliances at home. Some might be old, second-hand or even hand me downs. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but sometimes these older ones tend to lose their efficiency and consume more energy.

Travel more carbon foot print friendly!

Carpool if you can. Most people think it's not cool to carpool any more and that being able to travel by yourself in your own car is some sort of luxury. QUIT that thought!

If you can, try to take public transportation as well. It takes a longer time but hey at least it's cheaper than driving and you'll never have to worry about parking... right?

If it's close enough, walk! A little exercise will help lift your spirits and keep you healthy too :)

Oh and if you really don't need to, don't fly.

Recycle!

This is really simple, but it can get a little time consuming. Separate your trash daily - plastics, paper, glass, aluminium... that sorta thing. And make sure if it was a container, like a juice bottle or a soda can, rinse it out first. If it was a pizza box, throw the inner piece away but recycle the outer box.

Bring your own shopping bags. Now this is not an excuse that Malaysia has just implemented this new "fad" and all that nonsense. I've been personally doing this for six years now and believe me, it was bloody difficult getting the cashiers at the supermarkets to let me use my bags and not plastic bags. Plus, these days, all the shopping bags come foldable/collapsible so they're really compact and will fit in your handbag.

(Personally, I carry two shopping bags with me on a daily basis. This is just in case I need to do some shopping, I'll have no excuse.)

You can also recycle your old bits of fruits and veg into compost. It's really easy to do and it's great for your garden!

Remember, a little goes a long way!

If you want to know what your carbon foot print is here or tips on how to reduce it... click here!

Here's mine. I'll be entirely honest, I wasn't sure how much electricity we use at home because I don't have the bill with me... so it was an estimate.