March 27 2010 lights off at 8:30 PM

Join the Earth Hour 2010 on March 27 at 8:30 PM local time by turning lights off for an hour.

Aside from the above symbolic one-hour action, our kids should learn to turn off lights as soon as they leave their rooms and always pay attention to energy conservation; therefore sport or outdoor activities are much better than electronic games, not only for energy conservation but also for personal health.

For a while now, I have also noticed that the illumination of Parthenon at the Athens Acropolis is off at 2 AM, and no longer consuming electrical energy all night long as I blogged previously.

Related to the climate change topic, the most interesting article I read recently is the following by the ETC Group:

Top-down Planet Hackers Call for Bottom-up Governance

Some excerpt from the above link:

“solar radiation management” (SRM). This is a way of “cooling down the planet’s thermostat” by reflecting a portion of the sun’s rays back to outer space, through a variety of techniques ranging from sunshades in space, to aerosol sulphates in the stratosphere, to whitening clouds. These high-risk, planet-altering schemes affect global warming without changing its cause which is excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere."

“It is one thing to examine geoengineering through computer modeling and laboratory testing. It is quite another for the richest men and the richest countries in the world to begin actual experiments that tinker with the planet’s complex climate system that we do not fully understand."

Instead of tackling the problem for climate warming at source, which is to reduce the excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the scientists in some "developed" nations are planning to experiment some risky "short-cut" and "quick-fix" schemes, this may put the most vulnerable people into further danger.

Aside from those people living near costal areas, the indigenous people are the most affected by climate change.

One report told us how these people's lives have become worse, Voices that must be heard: minorities and indigenous people combating climate change by Farah Mihlar

Some excerpt from the linked report:

Page 3 of the report

‘Because of climate change, mountains are crumbling’ Tung Chun-fa, Paiwan Tribe, Taiwan

Page 7 of the report

‘Bio-fuels are making our peoples’ lives worse’ Abdon Nababan, Batakpeople, Indonesia

"We can see the impact on the agricultural cycle. Now with climate change the rainfall is not like it used to be in the old times and also the weather, the seasons are not the same, so the agricultural calendarhas changed. It is difficult to predict the seasons, people already have their own systems – when to cultivate rice and potatoes – but now they can’t rely on it any more.UN can put pressure on ourgovernment but our government also have theirown agenda, they don’t say the truth of what is going on. The UN system cannot force our government to do anything."

When men trying to act like God, disasters like this cannot be avoided.  The scientists and governments must  also pay attention to the voice of the powerless people.  It's a matter of basic human rights for the disadvantaged people, plus professional ethics of the scientists.