OPSEU members party on Earth Hour...

Earth Hour was a big success in Ontario this year with a 6% overall drop in power usage and about a 15% drop in Toronto.

Thanks to all OPSEU members who took part in Earth Hour 2009. There were eleven prize winners in OPSEU's first Earth Hour photo contest.

Here they are. Photos are posted in the order they were received.

Hi There. Here is dated photo.
I am the person 3rd from left in 2nd row. thanks. Chao Ma, Local 596

The attachment is from Donna Calhoun, Local 542 celebrating Earth Hour in Collingwood, ON with 10 friends at Georgian Manor Resort.

Hi there, Please find attached the photo for our Earth Hour Party!
Thanks organizing this! Happy Earth Hour!

Janice Cho, Local 270, MTO, Region 2

Here is my photo from our earth hour celebrations, we decided to have a campfire seeing it was so warm outside!
Julia Buck - Local 362 - MNR

This photo was taken on March 28/09 in my back yard,we had a BBQ. Steak, Ribs, Sausages, baked potatoes, etc, with a fire to help keep us warm.

Avis Thompson, Local 164

Many of the families on our street went for a walk during earth hour. Here we are heading out for the walk. After that it was Monopoly by candle light. Les Yatabe, Local 507

We had a dinner party by candlelight to celebrate Earth Hour.

Elaine Mallory, Local 603, MNR, Sault Ste. Marie

We celebrated by having a late candlelit dinner, with my daughter Keleigh, and her friends, Shannon and Cheresa and my chum Melissa Harvey. Brian O'Toole ( my husband) took the picture. Cheers...Brenda O'Toole - Local 365 - Trent University

PS. We should have at least one Earth Hour a month!

Here are some photos of our CCAC Pediatric team Curling party, held at the RCMP curling club in Ottawa on Saturday March 28^th, 730-10pm. We were 5 OPSEU members: Lori Savage, Shari Greenhorn, Shannon Haggerty, Anne Carpen, and Lorina Mahon. Some of us invited our partners, our children, and our friends to help make the games livelier. The lights were on while we curled on the ice (for safety reasons) but we turned out the lights in the lounge at 8:30 - 9:30pm Thank you for supporting Earth Hour.

Shannon Haggerty, Region 4

Here is a photo of me and my friends during Earth Hour. Unfortunately you cannot see my black dog who also took part in the festivities.

Melissa Daigle - Local 500

It is quite odd that that there are so many people vociferously opposed to Earth Hour calling in to radio talk shows. There were many reasons I heard. First, the climate change deniers. I heard a denier/skeptic say that he was going to participate anyway "just in case" he's wrong. He won a $150 prize.

Others feel that turning off the lights is a token gesture and that we ought to be engaging in conservation all the time or we'll be rationing electricity on a permanent basis. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. Of course we need to do more than turn off the lights for an hour, but Earth Hour raises awareness about wasted electricity while sending a clear message that every effort counts and that together we can make a noticeable and important difference.

Earth Hour 2009 - Have a party!

Dear OPSEU members,

Looking for something to do on the evening of March 28th? Why not throw an Earth Hour party? The first 30 OPSEU members who submit a photo of their Earth Hour get-together will receive $25 to help with refreshments.

Earth Hour is inspired by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). The idea is to turn off all your lights between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 and be part of a global action that is hoping to reach over one billion people in 1,000 cities. Earth Hour began in Australia in 2007. Check out all the Ontario communities that are participating this year. Ontario Power Generation will be monitoring the electrical grid in Ontario and reporting on the results.

OPSEU’s Executive Board endorsed Earth Hour in 2008. OPSEU turned the lights off in our four owned buildings. OPSEU has signed up again and will extend Earth Hour to as many of our leased offices around the province as possible.

As in 2008, we are encouraging you to flick the switch for Earth Hour (or longer) to share your concern about climate change. You can download and print an Earth Hour participant or party host window sign. OPSEU is going one step further this year and encouraging you to host an Earth Hour party. It could be as simple as a candlelight dessert or a walk in the park. Or perhaps board games or music making?

$25.00 prize criteria

Open to all OPSEU members. Party must have a minimum of five people. A photo should be time and date-stamped and received by email no later than Wednesday April 1 at 5:00 p.m. All lights must be off in the photo. Send your pics to earthhour@opseu.org. The first 30 members to submit their pics will win a prize. We will post the photos on OPSEU’s environmental blog – GreenUnion.

For more information, you can contact earthhour@opseu.org.

In solidarity

Warren “Smokey” Thomas, President

Patty Rout, First Vice-President/Treasurer

p.s. – Don’t forget to take a picture of your Earth Hour party to receive a special thank you prize of $25.00