That’s not a cryptic prophecy of some kind. An hour of darkness will come at 8 pm on March 29 for Earth Hour.

I remember “Earth Days”—the blackout that affected much of the eastern seaboard back in  2004. I don’t recall whether the Rosewater Supper Club was serving organic lettuce by candlelight at that time.

Lights out in major cities has a depressing, quiet and eerie feel to it. I first experienced it in Communist Poland—where prior to 1989 many lights were out every night (and not because people were trying to be green). Ditto for the dark streets of east Berlin ten years after Communism fell. Not a great way for a girl to get home from late night classes. In other parts of the world, like El Salvador and Mexico (off the resort path) again, the flickering of a broken fluorescent bulb is more the norm than the exception.

But you know what? I support this Earth Hour so every spoiled westerner can feel and see what it’s like when the lights dim. As we congratulate ourselves for “making a difference” over a night of organic greens, perhaps some will turn their thoughts to those parts of the world where they don’t take basics (like light) for granted.

“See the difference you can make” is the slightly ironic Earth Hour slogan. “See a difference?” Well, not as I sit in the dark, I sure won’t. Earth Hour–taking us toward a bold new dark age. Literally.  

Cross-posted to The Shotgun.

_____________________

Andrea is getting old: The eastern seaboard blackout was actually in August 2003.