Earth Day and what a cynical 5th grader said...?

Question

We just moved to CT, the town we live in is populated with 90% Rich, I mean rich rich rich, we are of the 10% kind. Anyway, today was Earth Day and my family and I turned off our lights for an hour (actually a little longer) & went for a walk with my sons friend. I was told via a blog that there would be multitudes of people walking downtown tonight with many responses agreeing to show up. Aside from ourselves, there were maybe 20 people. My son's friend says "Don't you know, the rich don't care about the environment, they can afford to waste energy." Do you think this is true? I started to think about it, and walking back to our home, I counted many more homes with their lights on then off. Did you participate, or will you participate and turn off your lights and unplug the computer? Please let me know if you found this question interesting as well. Thank you~

Answer 1

Kids say the darnedest things.  And they also tell it like it is.  

As far a earth hour goes for rich ppl, so of them are unaware of it because they are to consumed with their life's.  My grandmother said the same thing to me but we her in CA were trying to conserve water.  Evey one let their lawn turn brown on the block and this rich guy on the Conner had a nice beautiful lush grass which he water twice a day and ignored that we are in a drought.  He probably did  not even get the notice because  he had butlers and staff that take care of those things.  On the flip side they should have told him (it was in the local paper too).  Everyone is worried about their own liefs and forget about what this world provides to us.

Answer 2

i think most people arent willing to give up the comforts they have for the sake of the planet, the same thing happened here, im not sure any one turned their lights out and i live in the most environmentally aware states in aus. if the leaders of every country decided to stop cutting down forests, stopped letting us drive vehicles, stopped any activity that was destroying this world, even for one week, do you think people would accept it? no. we would all carry on that we couldnt get to work, or we couldnt cook our dinner, we couldnt go on the "well deserved" holiday, couldnt check our emails, people care more about them selves to actually allow anything which will help this planet to happen, its sad really. but hey i am also the same!

Answer 3

I turned my lights off.....But I turned everything else on. Infact, it's all still on, but now my lights are on as well.

Answer 4

all lights were turned off and went by candlelight for the hour....

Answer 5

I spent earth hour by turning on ALL of the lights in the house and leaving them on for TWO hours!  I'm not rich at all but I don't buy into Al Gore's lies about "global warming".  Actually have you noticed how they switched it from "global warming" to "climate change" because they are now finding that the theory of "warming" is falling apart?

Answer 6

Yes I do agree some rich people only care about them selves! And they should of taken part in Earch Hour... I did.... They need to seee whats happening to the world instead of buying a $6000 bag they could at least donate $20 to breast cancer or something else....

Answer 7

I think your son's friend was a fair witness to what he has observed and learned by living there.   And yes,  I would participate.

Answer 8

i agree with gary.

Answer 9

Yeah Gary... you just keep driving your Escalade and tell yourself it isn't so.

I think saying all rich people don't care is an over generalization.  I think there are some rich people who care.... and I think their are some poor people who make bad choices too.

Answer 10

Yes, I did

Answer 11

yeah they dont care .i would have participated but i never heard of earth hour so maybe next year. i thought this question was very interesting by the way.

Answer 12

I turn off the lights and called all my neighbors who had theirs on, and the ones that refused i egg'd their house's.

Answer 13

Not that I don't care but I didn't even know that was today, sorry.  However, I agree with your sons friend, as long as they can sit in their big houses with their rich cars and so called perfect lives, they don't care what goes on outisde of their little bubble

Answer 14

Please, it isn't because the people that didn't turn out their lights don't care about our planet. It is simply because it won't matter one drop in the bucket for one hour. If we did that for two or three hours EVERY day, now, that would make a difference. It is the same with those Internet emails telling you to not buy gas on such and such a day... It isn't the solution, it isn't a feasible solution. All it did was show how everyone cares. It didn't fix anything.

You need long term solutions here, not 1 hour ones.

Get with it, I recycle, I do my part EVERYDAY do you?

oh yeah, edit* I agree with Gary's point too.....

Answer 15

the earth is a marvelous place that we must treat with respect.  politicians trying to scare us into thinking we are killing the earth by breathing, by bovine farts, etc need to be ran out of dodge.  al gore sucks, al gores message is false.  the science of global warming is bullshit.

Answer 16

People who have money and grew up with not ever doing without tend to take things for granted. I am sure there is a few that were taught to appreciate what they have and to work for it has it rewards.

Answer 17

I do find this pretty interesting - even more so because it came from the mouth of a boy in fifth grade. I'm not sure that they do it just because of the fact that they are wealthy, but maby some were just un-informed... I refuse to believe that all weathy citizens are careless and wastefull.

Answer 18

It seemed to be the same over here, at least in the suburb I live in...Once again, as with the water saving issue, it appears those who can least afford to do so, try to support conservation for all.....(seems in these areas, the poor are supporting the rich) !!

Answer 19

Turning the lights off for an hour wouldn't help at all rich or not.