Earth Hour

[Mikey]

Ok so who will be doing this, I signed up today and on top of taking part will be spreading the news to as many as I can include.

Its the 29th of march 8.30pm to 9.30pm, with the aim of switching off all non essential lights, and in my case other electrical equipment. I intend to be sat around the fire with a good book for the evening rather than just the hour.

What do you have planned.

[veggiechicken]

I'm in - have been for several years.
Here's one I prepared earlier http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ght=earth+hour
and one I prepared even earlier http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...2-a_64140.html

[Mikey]

I'm always late to the party VC, you should know that by now!!!

[veggiechicken]

What you mean is that you have ignored my posts for at least 2 years

[Maddiesaur]

Yep I'm in. Did this last year too

[Mikey]

What you mean is that you have ignored my posts for at least 2 years

2 years, nah... I think its been longer than that.

[Kristen]

We have a 365/24 Earth policy in my house. No non essential lights on, only thing on standby is the TV recording box, everything else is off at the wall. We use less than 50% of the electricity than we did a few years ago, since trying to be more green, along with getting 3x the MPG from car, using 25% less water (should be better still this year as we have put in more rain water harvesting) and now burning only wood for central heating instead of oil. We also have Solar Water heating and PV and are considering wind energy too (although looks like not enough sustained wind here to be viable without a socking big propeller on a very tall shaft, which wouldn't really be a home-garden solution!)

Do please put me right if I have got this wrong, but I don't see what good a single hour makes unless folk change habits to make that "Hour" permanent ?

[Mikey]

I think its a mass demonstration from us as consumers to the governments of the world Kristen, we want more effort into making a green future.

Have you looked into ground source heat pumps or heat recovery systems instead of a turbine.

[Kristen]

I think its a mass demonstration from us as consumers to the governments of the world Kristen, we want more effort into making a green future.

Plenty of grants available from government (too much, perhaps, in the case of FITs - and, as with all things government, could-do-more and not-enough-in-some-key-areas)

But turning off unused lights/gadgets, fitting lower wattage bulbs, fixing leaking taps is all the responsibility of individuals. If people are going to do that for one hour a year why not 24/365?

Can't see that people turning off things sends a signal to government, but maybe I am missing the point?

Have you looked into ground source heat pumps or heat recovery systems instead of a turbine.

Ground Source Heat Pump is, AFAIK, only low-grade heat, so is best suited to under floor heating (low temperature) rather than Rads. We have cast iron skirting rads, so not even the option to replace them with "bigger ones" that could deliver same heat using lower temperature water.

As with so much eco-tech its a million times easier to fit to a New Build than as a retro-fit

We are building an extension, for Mrs K and I to hibernate in during the winter! (and more so to be affordably comfortable as we move into retirement / elderly-ness) which is built to Passive House standards and needs virtually no heat at all in winter.

[mothhawk]

It's easy for me to join in every year, 'cos I habitually turn everything off at the socket, so nothing is left on stand-by, and being a very early riser I'm generally in bed asleep by 8.30pm