I thought this essay deserved a wider audience. I have added some paragraphing to aid readability but changed not a word. Reprinted with permission.
– John A
The whole mentality around Earth Hour demonizes electricity. I cannot do that, instead I celebrate it and all that it has provided for humanity. – Ross McKitrick
Earth Hour: A Dissent
by Ross McKitrick
In 2009 I was asked by a journalist for my thoughts on the importance of Earth Hour.
Here is my response.
I abhor Earth Hour. Abundant, cheap electricity has been the greatest source of human liberation in the 20th century. Every material social advance in the 20th century depended on the proliferation of inexpensive and reliable electricity.
Giving women the freedom to work outside the home depended on the availability of electrical appliances that free up time from domestic chores. Getting children out of menial labour and into schools depended on the same thing, as well as the ability to provide safe indoor lighting for reading.
Development and provision of modern health care without electricity is absolutely impossible. The expansion of our food supply, and the promotion of hygiene and nutrition, depended on being able to irrigate fields, cook and refrigerate foods, and have a steady indoor supply of hot water.
Many of the world’s poor suffer brutal environmental conditions in their own homes because of the necessity of cooking over indoor fires that burn twigs and dung. This causes local deforestation and the proliferation of smoke- and parasite-related lung diseases.
Anyone who wants to see local conditions improve in the third world should realize the importance of access to cheap electricity from fossil-fuel based power generating stations. After all, that’s how the west developed.
The whole mentality around Earth Hour demonizes electricity. I cannot do that, instead I celebrate it and all that it has provided for humanity.
Earth Hour celebrates ignorance, poverty and backwardness. By repudiating the greatest engine of liberation it becomes an hour devoted to anti-humanism. It encourages the sanctimonious gesture of turning off trivial appliances for a trivial amount of time, in deference to some ill-defined abstraction called “the Earth,” all the while hypocritically retaining the real benefits of continuous, reliable electricity.
People who see virtue in doing without electricity should shut off their fridge, stove, microwave, computer, water heater, lights, TV and all other appliances for a month, not an hour. And pop down to the cardiac unit at the hospital and shut the power off there too.
I don’t want to go back to nature. Travel to a zone hit by earthquakes, floods and hurricanes to see what it’s like to go back to nature. For humans, living in “nature” meant a short life span marked by violence, disease and ignorance. People who work for the end of poverty and relief from disease are fighting against nature. I hope they leave their lights on.
Here in Ontario, through the use of pollution control technology and advanced engineering, our air quality has dramatically improved since the 1960s, despite the expansion of industry and the power supply.
If, after all this, we are going to take the view that the remaining air emissions outweigh all the benefits of electricity, and that we ought to be shamed into sitting in darkness for an hour, like naughty children who have been caught doing something bad, then we are setting up unspoiled nature as an absolute, transcendent ideal that obliterates all other ethical and humane obligations.
No thanks.
I like visiting nature but I don’t want to live there, and I refuse to accept the idea that civilization with all its tradeoffs is something to be ashamed of.
Ross McKitrick
Professor of Economics
University of Guelph
h/t to the Bishop Hill blog for bringing this essay to my attention
Anton says:
March 17, 2011 at 7:45 am
My Florida apartment went for two different weeks without electricity because of tropical storms hitting my city several years ago. It was torture. Soaring temperatures, 100% humidity, no air-conditioning, and no lights. Fortunately, I was able to pack up my critters both times and escape to a relative’s air-conditioned house.
Anyone who celebrates a lack of electricity is either a fool who doesn’t have a clue, or a masochist who enjoys suffering.
Sorry Anton – I must disagree, it is entirely possible for a committed green to be both a fool and a masochist.
Peter Kovachev says:
March 17, 2011 at 7:50 am
Kudos to my fellow Canuck’s essay. Ever since Earth Hour appeared, my way of dealing with it has been to leave all the lights in the house blazing, with curtains wide open for the world to see. Many were not amused when told (indicated by a sad glance at the floor or their shoes), although a few did get the point.
Apart from the sheer inanity of the concept, laid out nicely by Prof McKitrick, the whole exercise reminds me of the state-engineered mass behaviour shenanigans we were subjected to in commie Eastern Europe a lifetime ago. Demands for arbitrary, “symbolic,” and otherwise pointless, useless and ultimately degrading gestures such as Earth Hour are the hallmarks of tyranies, or at least wanna-be tyrannies. One way to turn otherwise intelligent humans into dull cogs is by getting them used to going along with stupidities without daring to even asking why. Today we are urged to volutarily “show solidarity” with Mummy Earth, tomorrow we’ll have earnest teens knocking on our doors to politely suggest that we should turn off those lights “like everyone else,” and the day after tomorrow, they’ll be lobbing brick bats through our windows for non-compliance.
If knew what the diff between AC and DC is, why on earth we need a positive and a negative, or how to effectively manipulate physical objects like wires without strangling or frying myself, I’d assemble a big, 100 Watt incandescent bulb-lit sign reading “Happy Earth Hour !”
This is very insightful – sounds like actual experience. Every “mass action” like Earth Hour is a tool to breed a habit of unquestioning conformity. – To question and to dissent are the correct counteractions.
thefordprefect says:
March 18, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Smokey the Astroturfer says: March 18, 2011 at 2:12 pm
“I will continue driving my CO2-belching 271 horsepower car. I will never cycle to work, unless it’s on a motorcycle, and I will take as many airline flights as I please – completely guilt free”.
Thank you for this insight into your very selfish mind.
You seem very sure that squandering very useful portable source of power is fine -because you can aford to.
Do you not think of future generations?
thefordprefect – you appear to have bought into the dogma of serious and immediate resource limitation.
This is one of the follies that underly the current war against the worlds poor being propagated by first world urban elites. You appear to believe in Malthusian nightmares and limits to growth – not realising that capable men can innovate their way to new solutions – as has been done in the past.
Some links to assist with your thinking.
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/5.02/ffsimon_pr.html
http://chiefio.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/there-is-no-energy-shortage/
http://chiefio.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/there-is-no-shortage-of-stuff/
Frankly – I think that the number one issue that we (humanity) face is Poverty, and the second most important issue is Tyranny.
The best policy approach is to maximise human liberty and prosperity. Imagine a world with 7 billion people living as the modern world does now. With 6 times the numbers of physical scientists and engineers and associated available capital we will be capable of solving all of our resource issues.
But if we shrink back from the challenges and timidly accept the (initially) soft tyranny of the luddite greens we will not solve these problems and we ensure our eventual collapse as a civilization due to lack of resource production.
How do so many people miss the bigger picture? Earth hour isnt about electricity, or government, its about creating awareness to consider our earth everyday.
Its a simple message to get you to THINK about all forms of pollution and what impact a single human being has on our planet.
I suppose you would applaud rational thinking when your consideration for the people of Japan and third world countries is to waste what you have? Because we all know that in times of suffering its better to brag about what we have.
Can you honestly hold your head up high while you burn every light in your house and say i did this for the people who dont have electricty? Will you open every tap in your house and do it for all the millions that dont have clean running water? Will you waste your food for all the millions of people that are starving? Will you refuse to recycle for all those that cant!
Is it really that hard for you to THINK about what YOU are doing to or for this planet? Where do you think your flushing toilet and trash go?
What so great about 2011 anyway? Trying to convince my daughter that christmas tree lights are the new stars? Because a machine can keep me alive thats living? That skyping, bbm, blogging is the same as human touch? That having 150 choices of loo paper to wipe my **** with is really worth killing the tree that gives me water, food and clean air?
That even in 2011 there is no cure for cancer or aids, and even though i lived to 70 and the whole world could watch me die, all the matters is that i have someone to hold my hand.
This world and eveything in it only really needs and needed one thing – LOVE!
So ask yourself if turning off your lights for 60 minutes could save a loved one from dying would you do it?
I like Ross McKitrick to answer that too!
I think that the number one issue that we (humanity) face is STUPIDTY!
Ross McKitrick, an economist, was asked his thoughts on earth hour, not his thoughts on cheap electricity, how its improved life and how we would live without it. Sadly 90% of the people that posted a reply didnt answer the question either but went on to support how great electricity is and that because you love it you must abuse it.
I suddenly remember, that light represents hope, happiness, life and similar things.
On Saturday, it is expected that everyone should turn off the lights … Go figure!
Rayleen:
Go without food and only love. I’ll give you a month +/- a couple weeks. I’ll send flowers.
BTW, trees are farmed for lumber, not paper. Paper is a product of waste material from the tree. So go ahead an wipe away guilt free. No trees were killed for it. Although, you won’t need the paper. You have love.
Anon: Way to exemplify your point!!
Mike: This is the stupidity Anon was referring too. Ofcourse you need food just like you need electricity, but would i go an hour a day or even a week without food to show that i care for a cause, yes i would just like the millions faste for faith. But send the flowers anyway. Wiping is a little sweeter knowing that if it doesnt degrade it gets recycled, but trees do die. And im not saying we dont need toilet paper im just saying we dont need 150 choices.
An average American uses 50 pounds (23 kg) of toilet paper per year which is 50% more than the average of Western countries or Japan. Millions of trees are harvested in North America and in Latin American countries leaving ecological footprint concerns. (Wikipedia)
SasjaL: Candles provide light too. If you can google what light represents then you should be able to google what Earth Hour is all about.
Rayleen: Candles generate CO2 and other nasty stuff when burning …
I have thought for a long, long time that the ecofreaks were closet racists. They’ve got their good lifestyles but they don’t want the people of Africa, or China, or anywhere else, to get that good life too. There is no way out of crushing third world poverty except through the use of electricity. I grew up with a parent who spent his childhood without it, his family home wasn’t connected to the grid until the 30s. I don’t want to live like that. What’s more, I don’t want to see ANYONE live like that, but the ecofreaks and warmists certainly do. Smells like racism to me since most of the world population that is doing without the benefits of electricity is not white.
Rush read this today on his show, and urged listeners to turn on their lights.
Glad to see you repeated it in the second spot. Have to remember to take the poll tomorrow (it’s still Friday here in EDT).
/Mr Lynn
From hMAd, 3/17 @ur momisugly 2PM:
“the fact that electriciy, just like any other forms of energy is scarce and people should preserve it. Limit the usage!” Energy is not scarce – a look at planet earth during the hours of darkness will illustrate where the lack of energy is: Africa is the darkest continent in the world because they do not have affordable and available sources of electricity which cannot “be preserved” unless it is stored in a battery……how long will a battery drive an industrialized nation. If you can afford electricity you can use it any time you want. Remember utilities sell electricity….do something for your local power company: buy their product, support your local businesses.
What drivel,
I do hope that this is the result of miscommunication rather than an inept moron labeling themselves a professor to the disgrace of all the other great men/women who have attained this title. The later seems more likely as you yourself state that you have difficulty understanding what the ‘Earth’ is, I’ll give you a hint, we live on it.
I’ll sum up the article: “Moderation should be mocked.”
Earth hour was never a ‘tear down the machine’ event; I don’t see a mass of hippies marching on to the nearest coal electricity power plan with the intent of dismantling it, hijacking hospitals with the goal of switching off all the life support systems.
It is an acknowledgement of the finite resources we rely on to produce the wonder of modernity. Through responsible use and management of these resources they can be greater shared throughout the rest of the developing world, as I agree, this would benefit them greatly.
Why do these idiots feel the need to mix the terms responsibility with guilt? I instead choose to feel empowered. Through the slightest changes in our routine, we can have a direct and positive impact on the world. That is what Earth hour is about, I certainly don’t see that as something to feel bad about.
Well said Matt! Our resources are, in fact, finite and the demand for them is increasing as our population grows, (In my lifetime, the world population has tripled.) and as modernization proceeds. It is clearly evident that consumer habits will have to change here in the affluent parts of the planet and Earth Day is intended to remind us of this necessity .It is NOT meant to induce a feeling of guilt, which is the emotional underpinning of this essay.
Mocking the earth? Me thinks the eco tards suggesting such a thought need no help.Mocking ecotards by turning on the lights, illuminating their miserable self loathing, is a kind and friendly act of love.Any time you want to worship nature, I recommend Churchill Manitoba where you can hug a polar bear and really become one with nature a la the grizzly man. To celebrate the hour of power, I will shine some light arround my neighbourhood. Earth day celebrate by encouraging darkness? Wonderful messaging from the gang that couldn’t shoot straight.
I did my bit by turning on my outdoor floodlights. Since I live in the country I doubt that my gesture was noted. But it was symbolic.
Our beloved CBC has a poll in action and all are invited to partake. Go to http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2011/03/earth-hour-will-you-be-participating.html and vote.
As of 2240 ADT the vote to the question “Are you participating in Earth Hour?” is 76.43% NO.
It is unfortunate that this posting comes too late for many people to read and act.
IanM
“I would put money down that India does not celebrate Earth Day.”
http://www.earthhour.in/about-earth-hour/earthhour-india.html
Problem, Mr. Mathman? 😀
I’m surprised Guelph University has not fired you for such ignorant comments Professor McKitrick… I’m glad I chose to go to McMaster…
Julia says:
“I’m surprised Guelph University has not fired you for such ignorant comments Professor McKitrick…”
And here we see another little totalitarian wannabe in the making. Julia has no use for free speech. Because Prof McKittrick strays from the eco-narrative, Julia’s remedy is… FIRE HIM!!
It is both sad and hypocritical that universities are among the most anti-free speech places on the planet. Julia should be thoroughly ashamed of her pro-totalitarian comment. But she’s not, because she is Saving The Planet™.
Insufferable goodness.
@smokey
I was trying to make a point and make fun of how ignorant this essay is given that he totally is missing the point of Earth Hour. Earth Hour is not demonizing electricity it is simply bringing awareness to the fact that our world is precious and is all we have.
and of course i did not mean literally for him to be fired. it was a joke, just like this essay
this video beautifully depicts this..
Happy Earth Hour everyone! 😉
@ur momisugly smokey
it would be great if you stopped attacking peoples comments… i think you are seriously abusing your rights.
muzzle anyone?
I can bet that many of these anti- earth hour supporters are also fans of “totalitarian” fox news propaganda
REPLY: And also regular folks that realize that it is simply an exercise in pointless symbolism, that isn’t worth the minor inconvenience. Read the news stories around the world. Earth Hour was a bust, though very very successful in North Korea for the fourth straight year:
– Anthony
Beautiful video Julia!
and i think what she was referring to was the fact that U of G is known for their environmental studies and activism. Professor McKitrick goes against this is professing his opinion about Earth Hour, rather ironic given his place of employment. This essay shows why Guelph is known for their superior veterinarian and environmental studies rather than economic. Maybe need not to be fired, but a little kick in the pants for sure is in order.
@John P:
It is telling that you take the side of the person who seriously advocates the firing of someone who simply expressed a legitimate point of view. It is Julia who wants to muzzle views that she disagrees with, just like you.
I have a major problem with that anti-liberty mind-set. You don’t see where that would lead?? Advocating censorship of anyone who thinks differently is so creepy it justifiably scares me.
I’ve just re-read Prof McKittrick’s essay, looking for anything objectionable in it. There is nothing either wrong, or non-factual about what McKittrick wrote. If you think there is, why don’t you tell us exactly what it is? And I would like to hear how Julia justifies her wish to have Prof McKittrick’s employment terminated [!!] for simply writing this article. I’m all ears; please explain.
The totalitarian aspect of the eco-movement, as perfectly expressed by Julia, should be of great concern to everyone. Someone who used to post here put it better than I could:
Demonizing “carbon” and beneficial electricity are bad ideas which should not be forced on anyone. And we can certainly do without self-appointed proto-totalitarian greenshirted censors who mistakenly presume they know it all, and telling us what we may or may not write, under threat of being fired. Or worse; isn’t the next step an agricultural re-education gulag? Don’t assume these eco-thugs don’t fantasize about it. Hansen has already called for imprisoning people who run completely legal, regulated businesses.
You people scare the hell out of me.