Singapore Joins in Earth Day

Probably another big “hoohah” around town. Shopping Malls, Clubs, Buildings, are all going to turn off majority of their lights to celebrate Earth Day. According to my knowledge, Earth Day started just two years ago, and the event was created to promote the awareness of saving the earth, preventing global warming, etc. In Singapore, the vast media has urged the public to switch off their lights between 8.30pm-9.30pm, or rather the so-called Earth Hour.

I think I’m generally an environmentally consevative person. I don’t leave the tap running, re-use unwanted paper, and I save on electricity. But this earth day event just seems so.. hmm.. pointless. Really..

I see this as more of a marketing propaganda rather than the all the “reasons” to save the planet. Yes, everyone is lending a hand by switching off their lights, but then after 9.30pm, everything goes back to square one. Neon lights in clubs like Zouk will be switched on again, spotlights at the Suntec fountain will be there, and the world continues to revolve.

Then during this time, enterprising businessmen will come in with all their money spinning ideas. Selling Earth Day T-shirts, souveniers, creating some outdoor activity for people to gather around, holding candles (at the esplanade). And probably after the crowd disperse later on, the ground will be filled with rubbish left over by the people. Now how environmentally conservative is that?!

Honestly in my opinion, a proper “Earth Day” should be done maybe once a month, or even once a week. By switching off lights once a year, how much difference would it make to the environment? Rather buildings in CBD, should consider dimming their lights maybe every weekend when shenton way is litterally a ghost town. For instance, I don’t see a need for the lobby of One Raffles Quay to be switched on full blown on Saturday and Sunday nights when probably less than 100 people walk by.

Sure we all need to start somewhere, but it should be a regular thing, and consistant too. Then yea, that would probably be a real Earth Day.

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 28th, 2009 at 8:11 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.