Earth Hour

I had this idea about Earth Hour. I had this idea that if I went to Federation Square, I would share this moment when the lights of Melbourne would go out, and we would feel a sense of community and awareness of the planet.. or something. I thought it might even be moving, and worth doing, worth sharing.

Fed Square had a fair turnout for the Earth Hour. Some had candles, most were just standing around. But as 8pm came and went, it was very difficult to determine that anyone knew that it was time to turn the lights out. As time passed it seemed that more lights came *on*. It got lighter, and brighter, then a choir of Baby Boomers on stage began singing *really* old songs like Michael Row the Boat Ashore and Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham and other such classics your elderly teacher might have made you sing on school bus trips.

Boom: 8:30pm we were heading out of there. Earth Hour was just really lame.

Walking home, we were pleased to see bars like Spleen and Lanes Edge were bathed in candle-light, and the flower vendor on Swanston Street had all his stall lights out. A fair number of civic buildings including the Melbourne Town Hall's clock tower and Cathedral were in darkness but mostly, the town was full of people and as bright as ever.

[Update] It looks almost spectacular, but that wasn't the experience on-the-ground.