Whatever else you may think about climate change, much of the effort to cut emissions is, in fact, a total waste of time - designed to make the participants and organisers feel better than to actually do anything.

The bulk of the green energy programs can be put in this category. they may not even cut emissions - at least not in Australia - but they make it look as if the government actually cares.

Yes it is tokenism! The power station turbines still spin and coal is still consumed. And the huge surge that heralds the return of lights etc, negates any energy savings.
What we need is carbon free power.
Cheaper than coal thorium would suffice. We have enough thorium to power the world for six hundred years.
That said, there are other even cheaper options, like converting all our biological waste, via smell free closed cycle digesters, into virtually free methane and then using that, (scrubbed), to power (an) on demand whisper quiet ceramic fuel cell(s). [The exhaust from this process is mostly water vapour.]
As long as we humans produce waste, this process not only remains endlessly sustainable, but produces free hot water as well.
The energy coefficient of the methane powered ceramic fuel cell is 60%, which compares very favourably with coal-fired power, at 20%!
It is said, we could produce enough methane to power a nuclear family's house, or a residential high rise, just from this material. Adding in food scraps or wastage, produces a saleable surplus.
Currently, we inject energy into this material to pump it wastefully out to sea, where it does endless or untold harm! When we could extract enough energy from it to power our homes, apartments, office towers and all manner of public buildings.
By-products include sanitised carbon rich organic fertilizer and reusable water.
Why aren't we already doing this?
A good question, which ought to be directed at the fossil fuel industry and all those who "serve" it? Including, it would seem, some high profile politicians/power brokers?
Rhrosty.

Rhosty, sounds like a great plan. In fact it sounds even better than the last one and the one before that.

All you have to do now is convince 119 nations to sign up for a Kyoto replacement to cap and govern CO2 emissions, then create an international emissions trading market and then breath some economic life into some sort of international renewable energy industry. Simple really.

Don't forget to let us know how you're getting on.

Rhosty - it is even worse than that. The generators in temporarily backing off do not reduce coal consumption. The temporarily reduced power output is obtained by altering the load angle of the generators so that the same amount of fuel is used with less efficiency. The fuel now excess to generated power requirements is only partially burned and in fact goes up the stack as increased solid atmospheric pollution. Earth hour is not only a farce, but in fact increases pollution without generally decreasing fuel consumption. Even so, the real danger of earth hour is the implantation in naive minds that turning off lights can solve the carbon problem.

A place where Earth Hour is practised 24/7:

http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/images/dprk-dmsp-dark-old.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/dprk-dark.htm&h=722&w=974&sz=119&tbnid=X6jHCUNCmXhDmM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=121&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsatellite%2Bpicture%2Bof%2Bnorth%2Bkorea%2Bat%2Bnight%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=satellite+picture+of+north+korea+at+night&usg=__evTfRWsIBiI6bKb5DSMRBjN6jqw=&docid=mV1EzqMWCRx2mM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=DxNMUfLRD4mIkQWBkIDACg&sqi=2&ved=0CDgQ9QEwAw&dur=502

fits well with the party that claims that climate change is the biggest moral challenge of the century. All spin and no substance.

Flat earth syndrome is alive and well.
How can anyone still talk nonsense about CO2 warming when all the micro and macro and other plant matter in the ocean of our planet has not been factored into AGW/Kyoto modelling.
Of course climate is changing, climate changed yesterday. And arable regions of the world that once supported now ancient cities are too dry to support human life.
Warmth in areas of ocean water does however exist from time to time and photosynthesis-linked solar warmth cannot be ignored in true climate change science.
Landlubbers would do well to look beyond the edge and see the green of chlorophyll in ocean micro algae. Look for the green in surf movie waves.
There is now so much ocean algae it’s taking available dissolved oxygen, causing ocean dead zones worldwide.
Best think freely and independently about ocean biodiversity in respect of atmosphere and affordable world protein food sustainability. WWF has their own agenda that does not include dumped sewage nutrient overload proliferating unprecedented algae. Look for algae.
CO2 nonsense is crying wolf while real problems and causes and real solutions are ignored.
N.B.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/great-reef-catastrophe-20121002-26vzq.htm

Try this link re the above post. It looks the same but works.
Otherwise Google; Great reef catastrophe (Sydney Morning Herald)

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/great-reef-catastrophe-20121002-26vzq.html

Actually JF aus, algae consume Co2 not oxygen, which they photosynthesise into oxygen.
They only present as a toxic problem, when they die out from starvation or lack of nutrient.
Just as you and I would if we were left to rot out in the open, once dead.
Some algae are up to 60% oil, and they absorb 2.5 times their own bodyweight in Co2 emission. Under optimised conditions, they can double that same bodyweight and Co2 absorption capacity, every 24 hours.
There's a small project in Australia's north west, growing algae in endlessly reliable sea water, to extract the ready to use as is, high oil content; and supply bio-diesel to the mining industry.
Another variety, naturally produces jet fuel when crushed; meaning, the carbon creating refinery stage is eliminated from the production cycle!
Which in turn, reduces total carbon emission by around 75%!
Economies of scale, and the exclusion of the refinery cycle; means, this fuel can be produced for far less than any comparable highly refined fossil fuel!
And they can be grown out in places like the Sahara, utilising endlessly abundant sea water!
The ex-crush material can be used as animal fodder or fermented, to produce ethanol!
Rhrosty.

Well Spindoc, given I seemed to have convinced you, in spite of your legendary cynicism, the rest of the world should be mere child's play, in comparison?
I'm delighted that you've actually bothered to read my posts on the topic, all of them.
It displays unusual intense interest.
Pity it took so long for you to finally comprehend the message?
Ah well, nobody's perfect.
Now, if you need any further help with your comprehension difficulties, just let me know.
I'd be happy to take the time to explain everything, line by line, you still don't actually understand, in any of my posts.
You have a nice day now, y'hear.
Rhrosty.

Like Red Nose day, Shave for a Cure, and Movember, Earth Hour and switching off the lights is a symbolic action we take each year to remind ourselves of the challenges facing our planet, to think about how we source and use our energy, and inspire action for a lifetime of change.

So while the act of switching off the lights won’t save the planet like growing a Mo won’t actually cure men’s prostate cancer (but will prevent population increase) it’s the symbolic action that is used to raise awareness, start a conversation, change behaviour and take action.

This year for Earth Hour we are asking Australians to make a change, by switching off fossil fuels 'for good', and switching on to renewable energy. We are also asking people to sign our petition calling on the federal government to increase the RET to 50 per cent by 2030.

Read more: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/3/21/science-environment/why-earth-hour-still-relevant

"But this Saturday I am taking a stand. I am not jumping on the bandwagon. I am going to sit with my lights on"

My books are read on my phone. One device, no trees needed to be cut down or monocultural forests grown to satisfy my needs. Hell we don't even use toilet paper anymore. After visiting SE Asia, we realised how disgusting it is to smear faeces around your nether regions by cutting a tree down.

If the climate guys are correct, and nothing so far indicates they aren't, what you're doing is exactly the problem. Waiting for Government to do something won't help, the scary fact is that solving the "problem" means drastic action. Stopping Ozone depletion meant stopping CFC use, there was no tax... stopping global warming means stopping the exhausting of greenhouse gases (Metahne and CO2) to the atmosphere, action no Politician will take when that action is not going to be needed in their lifetime (looking at the mostly grey haired set in Parliament) why ? because they won't be voted back in. Voters lead, Politicians follow. We're all too greedy to take the necessary action, geo-engineering is really the only hope... and what the law of unintended consequences will produce from that is scary. Then we still run into the problem of over population etc

We collect and store all our own power and water. We're on a journey to discover if it can be done, cutting consumption considerably, living with our means and living frugally. Concepts once alien to me and alien to most of the developed World.

One suggestion, if I may be so bold, read less Lombourg and more Science.

"This year for Earth Hour we are asking Australians to make a change, by switching off fossil fuels 'for good', and switching on to renewable energy. We are also asking people to sign our petition calling on the federal government to increase the RET to 50 per cent by 2030."

Renewable energy is an oxymoron; it doesn't work, can't work, will never work. Fossils, nuclear, Thorium can be cleaned up and will be; the investment in coal world-wide is enormous:

http://www.coalpowermag.com/plant_design/Countries-Worldwide-Propose-to-Build-1200-New-Coal-Plants_473.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=2638998&hq_l=23&hq_v=265ad8784b

http://joannenova.com.au/2013/02/who-actually-took-notice-of-the-kyoto-protocol-coal-fired-plants-going-up-everywhere/

What is going to happen in Australia while ever green ratbags run around big-noting themselves and scrtaching their egoes is that the lights are going to go off; and people will die:

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/view/301641

A lack of energy kills people; so when this person and her ilk run around with their "symbolic" action what they are actually doing is helping kill people. Think about it; if she gets her way people will die; not from AGW, which is a lie, but because a corrupt ideology has retarded public policy.

Valley guy, why don't you dig a big hole and cover yourself up; then you'll be safe.

When I read this bit, "It’s indicative that hope for action on climate change is growing", I knew Sonia could not have very much to do with the real world. I looked & saw she lives in Canberra.

Says it all really. We all know that the truth is not permitted in Gillard's Canberra. That is still no excuse to put out this rubbish.

Anyone who can read, & is interested in the truth, should know that the latest research points to carbon dioxide actually being a negative feed back, & is a cooling agent.

Yes a cooling agent. It displaces rather than joins water vapour in the upper atmosphere. As water vapour is a much stronger greenhouse gas than CO2, this has a long term, but very minor cooling effect on surface temperature.

I could go on, but why bother. Warmists are mostly too committed to their tomfoolery to even think about it. If interested, go reed the major German media.

Yep Germany, that bastion of alternate energy is finally coming to it's senses. I wonder how long it will take us to wake up.

All spin and no substance.
runner,
well, their substance is being flushed towards treatment ponds every minute of the day.

Rhrosty,
If algae is not depleting available oxygen in ocean dead zones, what do you consider is causing the anoxia known to kill the fish and animals in those dead zones?
Best check the following, albeit re pond water:

(copied & pasted):
At night and on very cloudy days, algae and submerged plants remove oxygen from the water for respiration.
(end copy & paste)

See here:
http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/faq/dissolved-oxygen/

valley guy it seems you might be a scruncher.

If you fold, the bottom police will give you a clean rating every time.