Earth Hour Gets Darker Every Year

Library patrons may have noticed the slide promoting Earth Hour on the monitors inside the library. While we're not sure what kind of action was taken locally, there was an immense response worldwide.

Follow this link to see Las Vegas and other international landmarks go dark.

According to sustainablebusiness.com:

"From an Antarctic research base and the Great Pyramids of Egypt to the Empire State Building in New York, illuminated patches of the globe in eighty-eight countries and nearly 4,000 cities and towns joined in Earth Hour Saturday night from 8:30-9:30 p.m. , turning off lights in homes, businesses and public spaces to highlight the threat of climate change and its link to energy usage.

Earth Hour began in Australia two years ago and went global for the first time last year. According to organizers, enthusiasm for the event grew this year.

According to msn.com:

"Crowds in Times Square watched as many of the massive billboards, including the giant Coca-Cola display, darkened. Steps away, the Majestic Theater marquee at the home of "The Phantom of the Opera" went dark, along with the marquees at other Broadway shows.
In Chicago, one of 10 U.S. Earth Hour flagship cities, more than 200 buildings pledged to go dark in the city, including shops along the Magnificent Mile.

In the Chilean capital of Santiago, lights were turned off at banks, the city's communications tower and several government buildings, including the Presidential Palace where President Michelle Bachelet hosted a dinner for U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

The two leaders and dozens of guests dined by candlelight.
In Mexico City, the city government and business owners turned off all "nonessential" lights at more than 100 buildings, including 31 city buildings and monuments and 17 hotels.

China participated for the first time, cutting the lights at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium and Water Cube, the most prominent 2008 Olympic venues.

In Bangkok, the prime minister switched off the lights on Khao San Road, a haven for budget travelers packed with bars and outdoor cafes.

In Rio de Janeiro, the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue that watches over the city of 6 million was darkened, along with the beachfront of the famed Copacabana and a few other local sites.

McDonald's Corp. planned to dim its arches at 500 locations around the U.S. Midwest. The Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont hotel chains and Coca-Cola Co. also planned to participate."

Library Raises Awareness about Bottled Water

During Sustainability Month in October library visitors might have noticed empty water bottles cropping up all over the library. We collected 118 in all. We were raising awareness about the waste brought about by pumping, packaging, and transporting bottled water to faraway places where perfectly healthy tap water is accessible. 30 million plastic water bottles (made from oil) are thrown away every day. The question lingers--is it time for an expanded bottle bill to place deposits on water bottles? You decide. But for those who missed our brochure here are some facts:

2 liters of water go into manufacturing every liter of bottled water.

The energy used each year making the bottles for bottled water in the U.S. is equivalent to more than 17 million barrels of oil.

If water and soft drink bottlers had used 10% recycled materials in their plastic bottles in 2004, they would have saved 72 million gallons of gasoline.

Dennis Muchmore, Michigan United Conservation Clubs Executive Director says, “Although our citizens now return 97 percent of the 5 and a half- billion bottles and cans for which they pay a deposit, they recycle only 20 percent of the bottled water containers because no deposit is required. Eighty percent of those empty containers end up in landfills or critical wildlife habitats. It’s a terrible waste.”

Things You Can Do To Be Sustainable

Change 1 Light

If 500 people in the Community will replace 1 standard light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, they would collectively save enough energy every year to light 13 homes and keep 39,499 lbs of Carbon Dioxide out of the air.

Change 4 Lights + Get 1 Free

Hastings Ace Hardware has partnered with the Friends of the Library to offer the first 100 people a coupon to purchase 2-4 60W equivalent CFL light and get 1 free. Visit library for details.

By replacing your home's five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with Energy Star qualified models, you can save more than $65 a year.