Will Lakewoood Turn On The Lights On Earth Day?

[Bill Call]

As I like to say the answer is easy... Nuclear Power and electric cars!

That idea makes so much sense it won't have a chance.

[Jim O'Bryan]

As I like to say the answer is easy... Nuclear Power and electric cars!

That idea makes so much sense it won't have a chance.

Bill

Could not help but notice, not a single light on at your house at 8:30pm.

Proud of you.


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[Jim O'Bryan]

Lakewood Park 8:29pm




Minutes later the crowd started to head out into the darkness.




Into the darkness goes the trail of green humans.


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[Kate McCarthy]

Thanks for the pictures Jim. Although my older daughter volunteered at this event, the rest of us decided to stay home and enjoyed a game of scrabble by candlelight…not a waste of a candle at all.

A group of high school students planned this event that tied in with other events held around the world. They set aside a Saturday night and worked hard to share this with the community at large. But on this thread their efforts for the most part with a few exceptions were belittled. We are very lucky to have kids like this in our community…who look beyond themselves and try to find ways to make a difference in their community. This may have been a pseudo-religious holiday in the eyes of some but these kids deserve to have celebrations now and again. H2O members volunteer at senior centers, food banks, community events, day care centers, and anywhere they think they can make a difference.

I hope they maintain their positive spirits and don’t fall into the cynicism that so pervades our society. And Jim thanks again for the pictures.

[Valerie Molinski]

Thanks for the pictures Jim. Although my older daughter volunteered at this event, the rest of us decided to stay home and enjoyed a game of scrabble by candlelight…not a waste of a candle at all.

A group of high school students planned this event that tied in with other events held around the world. They set aside a Saturday night and worked hard to share this with the community at large. But on this thread their efforts for the most part with a few exceptions were belittled. We are very lucky to have kids like this in our community…who look beyond themselves and try to find ways to make a difference in their community. This may have been a pseudo-religious holiday in the eyes of some but these kids deserve to have celebrations now and again. H2O members volunteer at senior centers, food banks, community events, day care centers, and anywhere they think they can make a difference.

I hope they maintain their positive spirits and don’t fall into the cynicism that so pervades our society. And Jim thanks again for the pictures.

Here Here. Whether it be getting involved in this or sleeping out in the cold to raise awareness for the homeless, I am glad to see Lakewood's youth out there doing something. Every little thing adds up. It doesnt have to be huge, ambitious projects... it's the little things that people can do each day that is going to ultimately make the difference.

Kate, thank you to you and your family for participating in this. It's been going on three years now, I believe, and it gets bigger each year. I'm sorry that a few embittered cynics used this thread as a soapbox for their diatribes.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/ ... earth-hour

[Jim O'Bryan]

Kate, thank you to you and your family for participating in this. It's been going on three years now, I believe, and it gets bigger each year. I'm sorry that a few embittered cynics used this thread as a soapbox for their diatribes.

Kate/Valerie

It was another interesting fun night for Lakewood, Lakewood's families and greenies. I got a kick out of the park filling up with people eager to take part, and allow their children to think for the moment about their impact on their and other people's earth.

However I did also enjoy the "diatribes" of Bill, Bret and others. Life is not black and white nor is it gray. It is good that all of us can see, and read the differences. Where some prefer to hide their heads in the sand and believe the world is junk dory, and that the entire world must think like me. It is healthy for diversity to be shown everywhere, both in people and thoughts. We all come from different worlds and experiences, and at the table we need to bring those into play, and allow them to intermingle.

While Bill puffed up and blew the hot air of turning on all lights, there are millions of lessons to be learned for all from that. One is simply that Bill is a mixer and likes to make people think. The same can be said for Bret. Both are people that will test you even if you believe the way they do. This is truly how we can celebrate being Americans. Not merely turning on lights, but in the civic discourse of talking of lights on or off, and what it truly means.

For those of us that were there we could see the moment in the larger picture of parents speaking with their children about the impact this could make in Lakewood, Ohio, the USA and the world. But even more could be taught by the civic discourse. People do not always believe the same. Some are not as sharp as others. Some prefer to chart new paths and not follow, and that there is always someone to rain on any parade at any given time. These are the lessons of life, and they are good and needed.

America is not a land of agreement, nor should it be. Those that think it should be are either naive, are simply lost in a dream world. When my good friend grabs for the banjo to sign Kumbaya, I also stop and think, what has ever been solved singing Kumbaya? A song at the end of a very long
tumultuous period of civic discourse. A song best left for children to sing around a campfire, adults should shake hands, agree to disagree and move on. That is how the ills of the world are fixed. Fare, open, discussion. If it does not hold up in discussion, then it probably was not that good anyway.

With that said, Gary, where is that damn banjo, and that song!

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[Valerie Molinski]

Yeah, I get that Jim. I don't expect anyone to think like me. I enjoy differing opinions and a good spirited discussion. Life would be boring with out that.

I don't get the need to constantly dump on others as a vehicle for self serving righteous attitudes. This isn't a discourse. It's a monologue regarding those 'silly folks' who think, gasp, that turning off a light or two can make a difference. Typical.

[Gary Rice]

Hmmmmm.....

What has ever been solved by singing Kumbayah?

What has ever been solved by a Robin's song?

Or perhaps, a Mockingbird's?

A friend told me that, for a long time during the Lebanese Civil War in the 1980's, that there were no birds, no birdsongs....

They had all gone away.

In August 1945, Hiroshima and Nagasaki both were obliterated, and their birds also went away.

Since then, the singing choice for humankind has become very simple.

So simple that even a child can understand.

"Kumbayah", or "Eve of Destruction".

See Jimmy, you can't just shake hands and agree to disagree and walk away anymore. You have to find common ground.

We must learn to agree, or we shall perish.

Conflict resolution skills.

We must learn them..

Now,

or never.

As Scripture says:

Let the children lead us.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I don't get the need to constantly dump on others as a vehicle for self serving righteous attitudes. This isn't a discourse. It's a monologue regarding those 'silly folks' who think, gasp, that turning off a light or two can make a difference. Typical.

Valerie

It is far easier to knock down then build. Just as it is easier to run and hide from civic discourse than to try to change minds. Yet the person that can reason, and change minds is always the better person, and creates the better world because of that.

It is funny as I go around preaching discussion not blogging, seats for all at the table, not a few seats for those that think they are gifted, civic discourse not faux committees. People are able to quote the Deck, and the people on the Deck. They are amazed at the openness of the project and the city. Of course about that time I mention the many civic groups that simply cannot put it up, and have run back to the closet. The groups that cannot get any real traction in the real world of discussion and are forced to hide, to create their "conversation" only to spring it on the public, hoping no one has anytime to think their BS through.

But to go even further, Bill and Bret are both really good people, with hearts of gold that I feel, were just having fun. The Calls are huge supporters of Lakewood, non-profits, the schools and other activities. Bret shows his human side more and more everyday, and it always makes me smile. To me, this was childish tough love, for a nice project.

In the end, their lights were off, and they too were thinking the entire event through. Of that I am sure, and have the photos to prove it if need be.

Good job to all for another interesting night in "da wood" to quote our urban art collecting progressive green councilman Bullock.

Don't let them bring you down...

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[Jim O'Bryan]

Hmmmmm.....

What has ever been solved by singing Kumbayah?

Gary

Not to get too sided tracked.

I see Kumbayah, as a song sung at the end of a process.

As I said, I cannot think that singing Kumbayah lead to the cure
of anything.

If we cannot agree to disagree, and if we all have to walk around in total
agreement, then we have lost the fibers of true Americanism, and the
very thought process given to us by the great provider.

I have seen where single thought has gotten us. 8 years of mismanagement
and hell on this earth.

Now we both know, that while you were screaming Kumbaya on Mainstreet, you were singing "If I had a rocket launcher" in the garbage thread. I actually found this amazing and a snippet of life in Lakewood. The fact is without room for you to do both, the city and the discussion would have suffered greatly. And when the time came for smores and singing, the words would have been hollow, and the smores tasting bad.

In this world, we must work hard to build consensus, and that is a good thing. It makes us stronger and better people, and make the final ideas stronger and better as well. Even in Japan, they do not play for ties, they only have learned how to spin a tie better than us.

Stepford? Utopia? Jimmyville? These would all be very, very boring places to live. With no need for the inventions or discussions that will save us all as a community.

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[Bret Callentine]

For what it's worth. I am not against kids taking a pro-active stance on the issue of conservancy. However, I do think that "Earth Hour" is a little over the top, and frankly a bit silly.

If it is an excersise in "awareness", then for starters I'd like to know just who out there isn't aware of the whole green movement and Al Gore's crusade. Exactly how many people's minds were they expecting to change with this experiment?

If this was an actual attempt at conservation, then I would argue that it was not handled appropriately.

I would have been much more interested in participating if someone would have come out with some sort of proposal to measure the countries national power usage durring the event as opposed to the hours before and after the event. Just so we can see what the results would be if forecasted to a more pervasive policy.

My sarcasm is not born of a viewpoint that conservancy isn't appropriate, it stems from a basic mistrust in the ethics and morals of the people who seem to be pushing the "green" agenda to a point that it rivals most religious foundations.

To this day, many different scientific organizations have offered to debate Gore on his so called facts, yet to no avail.

If the science has truly been settled, as he claims, then it should be fairly easy to dispatch his critics.

But until then, it becomes more and more difficult for me not to become vocally cynical when we're told over and over to avoid fossel fuels, conserve energy and take care of the planet when the same groups telling me I should change my lightbulbs, won't allow a single new nuclear power plant (still the cleanest, most efficient source of power available), and just recently wouldn't let the state of California install a solar and wind energy facility in the middle of a freakin' desert.

You want a green planet? Then start at the top:

SAVE THE PLANET - GROUND AL GORE'S JET!!!

[Bret Callentine]

It is far easier to knock down then build.

possibly, but just off the top of my head...

If you're interested in a civic project for those kids, then how about this...

Contact the electric company and see if you can team up with them for a service project.

Have the kids go to various houses in the neighborhood and ask residents if they would participate in a study. Have an electrician hook up to the meter to measure the actual power usage at that momemt, then have the home owner take you through their house. Unplug their computer as well as any appliance who'se only current use seems to be as a clock, then turn off a few lights that might not be needed, and change out a few lightbulbs for good measure. Then go back and have the electrician show them just how much less energy they were using and calculate the savings if done over the course of one month. My guess is that it would add up to more than a few dollars a month, and you would have definitely changed much more than a mind, but a lifestyle.

And isnt' that the real goal?

[Steve Hoffert]

It is far easier to knock down then build.

possibly, but just off the top of my head...

If you're interested in a civic project for those kids, then how about this...

Contact the electric company and see if you can team up with them for a service project.

Have the kids go to various houses in the neighborhood and ask residents if they would participate in a study. Have an electrician hook up to the meter to measure the actual power usage at that momemt, then have the home owner take you through their house. Unplug their computer as well as any appliance who'se only current use seems to be as a clock, then turn off a few lights that might not be needed, and change out a few lightbulbs for good measure. Then go back and have the electrician show them just how much less energy they were using and calculate the savings if done over the course of one month. My guess is that it would add up to more than a few dollars a month, and you would have definitely changed much more than a mind, but a lifestyle.

And isnt' that the real goal?

Been there, done that......

http://new.oberlin.edu/home/news-media/ ... ?id=524219

[Gary Rice]

Personal to Jim:

Of all life's interchanges and confrontations,

I don't believe that I've ever been accused of..

Being consistent.

Instead, I once again return to that Great Old Book...

To everything there is a season,
And a time to every purpose under the Heaven...

...a time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Our only problem, being the poor mortals that we are,

is in trying to decide...

what time it actually is..

Oh well, back to the banjo...