The candles are lit. Flashlight in hand, we make our way to the living room where we got a roaring fire going in the fireplace. We settle in to read quietly for the next hour or so, in voluntary observance of Earth hour.
It is a peculiar feeling to forego the luxury of light when no power outage forces you to do so. We went about an hour of our evening with no electricity. Because it is done voluntarily, there is no ill feeling. We know we can stop the experiment at any time. When we finally turned the lights back on, we found the electric light harsh and unpleasant and decided to wait a bit more.
Because it was only an hour and we had control over the outcome (we can switch the lights back on in case of emergency), the experience was overwhelmingly positive. It also builds awareness on the luxury of electricity. It was sobering.
We are ready to do it again in a flash. Let's hope those feelings last.
English Cucumbers
10 months ago
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2 comments:
Lovely reflection on your experience. Freedom in powerlessness seems like such a crazy modern paradox.
I remember that during The Great Blackout of 2003 we experienced a great sense of freedom for the 8 or so hours we were without power. It was summer, and I had an essay due. But computerless? I was off the hook for awhile. Freed from technology-bound work and unable to do housework in the growing gloom indoors, we had no choice but sit on the porch, cocktails in hand, enjoy the August sunset, and chat with the neighbours...
Beautifully put.
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