I
am not big on symbolism, and that is an understatement. The supreme and the supremely
superfluous and contemptuous symbolism is the candle light vigil, on the cause
of the day. And, after having gone through the symbolism of Earth Hour 2012, I
rank it only slightly lower.
I
claim, without an iota of proof, that these symbolic concerns are ephemeral at
best; the expressed concern lasts no longer than the candle shines. For the Earth
Hour 2012, most ironically, a consumer establishment in Delhi advertised that
it is distributing candles to be burned to compensate for switching of lights!
The Earth Hour is for invoking carbon consciousness in the public’s mind and here
you do that by burning candles and adding to the CO2 load, no matter
how much of the GHG you are foregoing, in the atmosphere? I say, bah humbug!
I
live in a cooperative group housing society directly opposite a sports complex
run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in a middle-class neighborhood.
Though I have lived in this housing society, on rent, for more than six years, my
family (for the past two years, comprising my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, wife
and me) has not integrated itself with the society’s affairs, for reasons of
language, culture (I don’t join in playing Holi, celebrate Lodi), my atheistic
convictions (Don’t join in the pujas during Navratra, Janmashtami), my busyness
and other factors.
As
much as I sneer at campaigns like Earth Hour 2012, I said to myself that I will
switch off lights in my house for the stipulated duration, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM on
March 31, 2012. I was hoping that Mr. Sachin Tendulkar, the supposed icon of
India, of Indian youth, who was the national ambassador for this year’s
campaign would help me out in integrating myself with the other members of the housing
society. The other residents will also switch off their lights and we could
actually have a conversation on something significant, go beyond castigating
the political class for its venality. Alas, it did not happen.
As
the clock struck 8:30 PM, my apartment was the sole residence that became bathed
in dark. The sports complex across the road was as illuminated as it is every
night. The street lights were on (quite surprisingly!). The hospital diagonally
across the intersection on the road proclaimed itself no less brilliantly through
its neon lights. 8:30 PM came and went and so did 9:30 PM. No change for the
entire period.
This
morning the newspapers (The Hindu and Hindustan Times) went gaga over how the Earth
Hour 2012 was a success. Photographs of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate,
gloriously lit and more gloriously dark were featured. One of the 5-Star hotels
switched off many lights and dimmed the others to about 40%. So far so good.
But, they had a candle light celebration of the Earth Hour 2012 on its lawns! I
wanted to gag myself with a fork. Why did the newspapers not come to my
neighborhood, which in all likelihood would have been a typical middle class
neighborhood across the city? The eco-unconsciousness would have been evident in
all its glory! The middle-class carbon consumption levels have been
internalized by that class to be minimum and sustainable. It will not listen to
pleas to reduce it any further. The story in the other cities went along the
same lines.
This
is the level of carbon consciousness in our society, headlined by the behavior
of the middle-class. I too belong to this class, perhaps at the lower rungs.
But, in my environmental consciousness I claim that I am situated slightly
higher and am trying to inch up further, taking others along. When, I had to
change the cistern in my toilet, I went looking for one with a short/long flush
dual option in my neighborhood market, willing to accommodate a higher outgo. But,
I failed. Eco-consciousness has not permeated the market, either from the
supply side or the demand side.
In
the interest of fairness, let me out myself. Even for the one hour starting at
8:30 PM yesterday, I had to watch the concluding part of a not-so-good movie on
the TV. I could not forego my carbon appetite on that count.
So,
I do belong to the middle class after all.
Raghuram
Ekambaram
P.S. If you are interested, you may go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2012/mar/31/earth-hour-2012-in-pictures for a photo gallery of Earth Hour 2012, from Australia to London, from The Guardian
P.S. If you are interested, you may go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2012/mar/31/earth-hour-2012-in-pictures for a photo gallery of Earth Hour 2012, from Australia to London, from The Guardian
9 comments:
Every day has many earth hour moments for us. With frequent power cuts in the evenings, it makes great economic sense as well. We prefer to have minimum lights on at any point of time to minimize load on the inverter.
We had no power from mornin 9 ill 7 in the evening. This is unaanounced load shedding in Bangalore by the governement.
The power miniser here is in secret collusion with the greens. She believes in showing we care
we were out at the time. There was light all over. Howeer, I still believe i n symbols. I think they are power(!?)ful
Every day we are forced to observe unscheduled earth hour. :)))
In order to save the gadgets and minimise load on the inverter we put on minimum number of lights at any rate...what the earth hour protagonists could not do, BSES has done it for us...
Raghu, actually Indians need not participate in the Earth Hour, we have enough power cuts every day for more than 4 or 5 years
In fact, I (my wife as well) did not even remember the Earth Hour until we read about it in the newspapers the next morning. At the risk of sounding boastful, I should say it didn't really matter whether I remembered it or not, because just like you I too don't go by symbolism. I practise sufficient austerity in my day-to-day life; I d omy best to save energy as much as possible by switching off things not required... even at my workplace.
Balu,
If we are so used doing without power, do we need discoms?!
Load shedding from the discoms does not raise anyones consciousness about what we are doing to oursleves in the long term. As you understand, that was my lament.
RE
RE
Then, it is perfectly alright you were unaware of Earth Hour, Matheikal ... I am always aware of these symbolic instances because I hate them ... the one time I tried going with he ymbolic flow, I found myself on the wrong side in my neighborhood. Hence my lament.
RE
Aditi, for someone who has lived through the darknights and sweaty days of Delhi in the early 1990s, the one hour drama became a nostalgic affair :) :) :)
You are so right. In our family too, we are quite tightfisted i this regard, but not out of stinginess.
RE
That is very good Pala ... a minister from the state that loots natural resources in collusion with the Greens :) :) :)
RE
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