Earth Hour T.O. Style
Tomorrow, Saturday, March 29, at 8:00 pm ET, the lights will be going out in Toronto, and hopefully the computers and radios and TVs too, but not the fridges or freezers. That might be going a bit too far. This time city goes black, it will not be because of an unforeseen power disruption, but because Torontonians, including City Hall, will be deliberately turning off the lights as a gesture of solidarity against climate change.
I’m not sure how one can be against climate change — it’s happening — but more accurately to protest the lack of change to protect our climate and thus ourselves.
Earth Hour runs from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and to get in the mood, City Hall is hosting an acoustic concert, starting at 6:45 pm, with Nelly Furtado, the Philosopher Kings, and Fefe Dobson, which will end at lights back on: 9:00 pm. How does one hold a concert sans power, even an acoustic one where sound cannot project far in an open area? The answer is Bullfrog of course. They will be the power behind the musicians.
that 1 hour blackout was great. we played a game of hide & seek to pass the time.
That sounds like a blast! A lot of people said they loved that blackout we had a few years ago. Life slowed down and got fun. I remember when Sundays in Toronto were slow and leisurely, not much traffic on the road. IMHO it would make this city a lot more livable if we didn’t feel the need to keep Toronto open 24/7 and had those community-wide moments of downtime, which are now brought on by blackouts and earth hours. I was really glad Council recently decided not to make the entire city a tourist destination. Those stat holidays are necessary for our collective sanity and productivity; besides, when one goes to the big cities we think we need to emulate, they have their closing hours too, hours not always convenient to tourists, as I discovered! But they don’t care. They built their city for their citizens. If you like, you’ll come, and put up with the inconvenience.
unfortunately, this event is only once a year though. what other applications does this occur on?
I saw a segment on CP24 about whether T.O. should be open 24/7 for tourist purposes last year I think. we’re not NYC here. T.O. is helluva lot smaller in land capacity and in comparison to businesses and commerce, NY has the utmost economic market share. it would be senseless if they made T.O. a city that never sleeps.
ps: I would’ve gone to the concert if Metric were there lol.
I agree, the senseless part. And anyway I think the comparison is a bit bogus. I remember a number of years ago going to the city that never sleeps and being unable to find one open shop before 11 in the morning. I needed to buy some gifts before I left. Ha! So maybe NYC parties all night, but it sure is asleep when tourists hit the pavement for shopping and feeding.
I would’ve gone to the concert if I could’ve got my butt in gear!