Why "Lights Out" = "Brains Off"

A terrific piece presented by the Science and Public Policy Institute, debunking the entire idea of a "Lights Out" campaign. Even if we ignored the failure of the initiative, however much the media tries to convince us of the contrary, the lack of efficacy of such PR stunts is before our very eyes. The mathematics of it should give all the tree-huggers and Gorologists a remarkably cold shower:

Danish newspapers - coincidentally in the native country of the story of the Emperor's new clothes - happily quoted the WWF regarding the event's overwhelming success. But the entire savings (assuming people didn't use more energy later in the night to make up for lost time) amounted to just 10 tons of carbon-dioxide - equivalent to just one Dane's annual emissions for a full year.

I happen to agree with the author of the piece (Bjorn Lomborg) that the combined efforts of the enviro-apocalyptics will yield nothing but further determination not to give up our hard-earned electrical appliances, cars and energy-inefficient homes:

As some conservative commentators like to point out, the environmental movement has indeed become a dark force, not metaphorically, but literally. Indeed, urging us to sit in darkness will probably only make us realize how unlikely it is that we will ever be convinced to give up the advantages of fossil fuels.

I believe in climate change, because I see that something is going on. Winters seem to come later and leave later, Moscow used to have -20 C on New Year's Eve and now single-digit negative temperatures seem to be the norm, while other places seem to be getting colder and it snows in Baghdad. I am no climate scientist to realize something is changing. I do not believe, however, that there's a one-encompassing universal explanation to all these changes. Furthermore I cannot reasonably believe that a half-baked presidential loser can champion an argument of such excruciating complexity AND make a movie about it.

If more people encouraged us to sit down, do the math and actually act in our own self-interest (save on energy bills and gas, for example) we might make progress. If it helps the planet, the better. Meanwhile, we'll have more money in our pocket with which to buy Al Gore's movie. Or a good pint, if you're me.