Pantagraph.com | News | State Farm, B-N to go dark for Earth Hour

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

middle of the road wrote on Apr 9, 2008 7:17 PM:

" to darknight
LOL i will reply for someone else
rivers running backwards? there is one in this state. Its in chicago. they changed the direction it flows. "

RealityCheck wrote on Apr 9, 2008 12:24 PM:

" Since when did energy conservation become a politically divided issue? I consider myself a conservative, yet I drive a hybrid car, we have a tankless water heater in our house, we recycle everything we can, we have flourescent light bulbs throughout our house, and use a whole house fan in the summer when it's not too hot. Energy conservation is smart from many aspects. How can it possibly be viewed as a political issue?

Do you people even know what the difference is between a liberal and a conservative? "

mresh wrote on Apr 1, 2008 4:44 PM:

" 'The Messenger' wrote:
" This is the perfect microcosm of modern American liberalism:
An empty meaningless platitude with no other intent than to assuage irrational guilt."

Message to Messenger: What you're doing is called projecting. If your response to 'liberal' agendas like the conservation of natural resources (which, ironically, 'conservatives' like yourself just can't seem to embrace) is to attribute an ulterior motive of guilt-infliction, might it possibly be that this response is coming from within?
'Messenger,' your parroted 'message' of recycled, paranoid Limbaugh/Savage drivel is tired. Seems to me your definition of 'conservative' equates to the simple opposition of agendas like conservation, environmentalism, progressive energy policy, etc., and for no good reason other than your apparent incapacity to separate such policies from your clear personal distaste for many who self-identify as 'liberals.' This says much more about you than it does about 'liberals.' "

BUSAE wrote on Apr 1, 2008 12:33 PM:

" While I do agree with this idea, one has to think this would be an absolute dream for thieves, rapists, and criminals across the country. "

soothsayer wrote on Apr 1, 2008 11:59 AM:

" "The Messenger" is absolutely correct. Turning lights off for an hour, and global warming in general, is all about liberals trying to position themselves as being more concerned than thou. When you look behind the curtain at the assumptions involved, you'll find out that global warming theories are based on flawed computer models and unproven assertions. But nobody wants to hear that. Instead they want to turn off the lights for an hour so they can think of themselves as being morally superior to other people. It's self-aggrandizing nonsense. "

What now? wrote on Apr 1, 2008 7:48 AM:

" To: Zeva: One day of not buying gas does not hurt anyone. This statement is a myth. It would take several days of not purchasing gas to make a dent. "

The Messenger wrote on Mar 30, 2008 10:21 AM:

" Tripper: "...see the symbolic benefit..." Key word "symbolic" only buttresses my point. There is no tangible benefit, even if lights were turned off for 24 hours or more. Empty, meaningless, look at ME, I care!!!! This is ME, caring about the environment by sitting in the dark. No, don't look there, look at ME!!!! I am so much smarter and informed than you, you "self absorbed individual." Its ME,ME,ME!!! Look at ME showing ME caring. ME, ME, ME!!! .....liberals. "

Zeva wrote on Mar 29, 2008 10:38 PM:

" Some of the comments on here give me reason to believe that stupidity is alive and well in America. I don't use lights unless absolutely necessary. I only run one light and TV all evening and I have a night light in the bathroom when not bathing, I see quite well with it. I don't do this for any reason other than I don't need more lighting to live by. My electric bill is $18 a month. If people could teach their children to turn lights off that would also save in money and energy. I taught my kids, if you don't turn it off you lose your bulb for 3 days. It works every time, unless you enjoy paying out the money then by all means leave it on. Now let's work on the gas prices. How many will NOT drive in order to bring the prices down. One day of not buying gas would hurt them tremendously. Don't forget our gov. officials don't pay for gas, we pay for it for them. "

Tripper wrote on Mar 29, 2008 9:34 PM:

" Sad that some people are so absorbed into their own perception of self-value or with such lack of imagination that they cannot see the symbolic benefit of this effort.

All journeys start with that first step. "

The Messenger wrote on Mar 29, 2008 8:32 PM:

" This is the perfect microcosm of modern American liberalism:

An empty meaningless platitude with no other intent than to assuage irrational guilt.
"

mixdown wrote on Mar 29, 2008 7:09 PM:

" I thought poeple outgrew idealism when they graduate from academia and join the real world. "

mixdown wrote on Mar 29, 2008 7:03 PM:

" To darknight: You're not serious, are you? The amount of water on the Earth never changes. It's always somewhere, in one of its three forms. So I don't get your position on losing water because rivers don't run backwards, and once it's gone it's gone. How do you figure? There's a cycle, you know. "

rjmuench wrote on Mar 29, 2008 4:15 PM:

" As a counter protest to Algore and his minions, I will turn on EVERY light in my house for an hour. Hey Al - why won't you debate AGW? (Because he will lose!) "

wkendguy wrote on Mar 29, 2008 10:16 AM:

" N595 should research topics before speaking. Water used for sprinklers comes from the lake on Corp. South property. Collected from rain, I think thats very green. State Farm has undertaken many steps to conserve energy, which lessens the burden on the power grid. One is a lighting projects that actually improves
lighting while reducing energy cost. It would be easy for State Farm to do business as usual, but in my time as an employee there, they have been good stewards to this community. I'm proud to work there! "

protohooman wrote on Mar 28, 2008 3:13 PM:

" proto to country boy, are they born wearing dockers? "

bngurl wrote on Mar 28, 2008 12:29 PM:

" I believe this is nothing but another marketing ploy. I was watching a video on Youtube talking about people investing in green clothes and furniture. Come on. So, you are telling me if I want to be a "true greenist" I have to buy eco friendly clothes and furniture made out of bamboo?? To me this sounds fishy. They also talk about buying special household cleaners. Why spend a lot of money for "special green products" when you can make class cleaner with vinegar and water?

These companies really don't care. They are just trying to appeal to this movement and get their chunk of change from it. "

darknight wrote on Mar 28, 2008 12:14 PM:

" To T You must not be from Bloomington because if you was you would know State Farm does'nt own the news paper, It just owns the whole town, at least since 1939, that I know of.
To mixdown. You said water was reuseable. thats true, You can live without electricy, you can live without natural gas. and the telephone. you can ride a bike, or walk to where ever your going. But you can't live without WATER. once it's gone it's gone How many rivers, have you seen, run backwards? "

darknight wrote on Mar 28, 2008 11:33 AM:

" to anybody; If people were more conservative, like working in a factory; you drop the screws and washers on the floor and then sweep them up and throw them away, saying the owners got more money then I do. Maybe thats the reason the Eureka Factory isn't here anymore. Why do people seem to think they have to have every light on in the house at the same time? your only in one room at a time. are you to lazy to turn the light switch on and off? You don't mind complaing about your light billgoing up. one more thing. you have a t.v. in every room, and their turned on, but no body home. what about the leakey fausets. we're to cheap to go out and pay 99 cents for a washer to fix it. we'll just complain about our water bill going up.I don't know if you know it, We all have a good life. Don't waste it. "

Houser wrote on Mar 28, 2008 11:07 AM:

" I'm not a fanatic about it, but I conserve what I can for a very simple reason - I can save a little money and it's available to be spent on other things. I'd rather buy another beer, go to a movie/game, or put it in a mutual fund than light/heat rooms I'm not using, or leave crap turned on that's not needed. When I'm driving, I use my SUV when I need it, or my smaller car when it's just me. It's just common sense and has nothing to do with conservative vs. liberal or saving the planet. "

Country Boy wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:55 AM:

" Does this mean the SFer's birth rate will go up in 9 months? They breed their own you know... "

Bender wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:35 AM:

" Has anyone factored the economic/energy cost of the power surge that will occur when hundreds of businesses/residents turn their power back on at 9?
This is like turning off your's car's ignition at a red light, and starting it up when it's green. You end up using more than you save. But whatever floats your boat. "

JimmyChooGirl wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:33 AM:

" Turn off my television during the NCAA tournament??? Are they serious?

"

chuck dizzle wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:23 AM:

" Time to burn a green flag in the driveway.... "

T wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:08 AM:

" Since when did State Farm own a newspaper? "

The other Dave wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:05 AM:

" I have a great idea. Everyone in Bloomington/Normal should turn on all of their unnecessary lights at 8AM Saturday morning. Then, at 8PM on Saturday, we can turn all of the lights off and feel even better about ourselves. We will be saving much more energy and thus saving the earth quicker.

Basically, if a light is unnecessary, don't turn it on. You don't have to wait for a bunch of tree-huggers to create a feel good hour in order to turn off unnecessary lights. "

chief wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:58 AM:

" to Filenet Guy: get back to work JOHN...my premiums aren't paying you to surf the Internet all day hahaha!!!!!!!11 "

mixdown wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:48 AM:

" To 3838: Water is a reusable resource. Watering of lawns hurts no one. And droughts come and go. The water has to go somewhere; it'll come back eventually. So relax. "

mixdown wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:46 AM:

" Oh, the boredom which consumes the idle! Nothing but a gesture, this all is. I will not turn of my lights, but neither will I go out of my way to turn everything on. Fact is, this will probably not be in my mind at all come Saturday night, and I expect it will be the same for most folks. "

3838 wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:44 AM:

" Good gesture, but if you really want to make a statement, you need to look at 100% recycling. No watering of lawns, drought resistant landscaping. Mandate the energy efficient lighting, increase funding for alternative power. And of course turn off the energy vampires. If you want to be serious about it, safe the planet for our children. Everything else is a hollow gesture "

bored wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:37 AM:

" They'll still have quite a few computers running so not exactly doing anything specially. "

chris wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:34 AM:

" Buckeye and NASCAR - Fact 1: Martinsville Speedway hold 65,000 not 250,000. Fact 2: Better to burn fossel fuel than food and drive the cost up for the working poor. Fact 3: Tires are recycled not throw into landfills. Fact 4: Al Gore produces more Carbon than 100 NASCAR Fans. If you want to help the enviroment tell Al to stop flying all over the world pushing his lies. "

kindaliberalchristian wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:28 AM:

" I had no idea how negative people could be about conserving energy. I will continue to find sustainable resources for myself and my family, and you just do your thing, keeping all your lights on, wasting fuel. When the prices of electricity shoot through the roof, and my solar panels and geothermal are keeping me nice and comfortable, I guess we can talk then... "

floyd wrote on Mar 28, 2008 8:16 AM:

" The more you conserve the more the money grabbing utilities will cry for rate increases they don't need. "

ONLY IN AMERICA wrote on Mar 28, 2008 7:47 AM:

" I plan on turning on every light,appliance,tv,radio and anything else that runs on electicity on to make up for all the flakes who turn off everything off. I will be going bright orange instead of green. THE DUMBING OF AMERICA CONTINUES- "

The other Dave wrote on Mar 28, 2008 7:27 AM:

" How nice. We are conserving energy for 1 hour out of the week. Maybe we should be turning off unnecessary lights all of the time? "

boblambo wrote on Mar 28, 2008 6:53 AM:

" The interesting thing is of course that by turning off the lights the power companies are going to need to raise our rates to make up for the shortfall. What woulds happen to rates if we all cut back usage by 25%?,,,,
Have you ever looked at the taxes we pay as part of our utility bills. I've read that some states are requiring that power companies stop producing power and raise rates to keep the taxe money coming in at a high rate. The same thing is true of the taxes on gasoline. When was the last time you heard of anyone at the state or federal talking about cutting the gas tax...it is a windfall for all governmental agencies. Be careful what you wish for it may cost you alot more than what you planned on... "

normalguy wrote on Mar 28, 2008 5:58 AM:

" If its such a good thing, why do it once a year? they could do it every week....the museum is closed, leave the lights off!! Turn off the isu sign every night from 1am till 5am. oh wait that that would prove that this isnt anything more than do nothing, (seriuosly turning off the ac for 24hrs. ill tell you what ill leave mine off for at least another week) make some green person feel good for an hour gesture. but really if it shuts them up for another year im all for it. "

johnd wrote on Mar 27, 2008 11:55 PM:

" Pixie your right!As long as they have gas for there SUV they think its a joke.Probably the first to gripe about the price of gas however. "

Filenet Guy wrote on Mar 27, 2008 10:39 PM:

" Umm, why do we leave 30,000 lights turned on 24/7 at SF, anyway? Zone lighting WITH motion detection would leave most lights off at least 12 hours a day, saving an enormous amount of money. If someone wants a few pats on the back - it'd be a very good idea to push as a 'green' initiative.

Also, an enforcement of mandatory shutdown of workstations in non-24/7 operations areas would also save significant energy costs. Seeing as how 99% of employees not working in command/call center areas don't come to the office after hours there are no justifiable reasons for 10,000 workstations to burn 200-300 watts per hour. "

Pixie wrote on Mar 27, 2008 8:09 PM:

" That figures. People are out there trying to bring awareness, and do something good for a change and all we can do is complain? What whiney babies you all are. "

Live Wire! wrote on Mar 27, 2008 7:49 PM:

" I didn't know my big screen was such a bargain - just 5 cents/hour! Seriously, this is a meaningless gesture, a stunt. But if you want to conserve to save money, by all means do it. To N595 - I'm pretty sure SF uses their retention basins and ponds to water the grass. They also have a lot of the property planted in prairie grass they don't have to water. "

dalmanites wrote on Mar 27, 2008 7:41 PM:

" So, will the light polluting street lights be turned off as well so we can actually see the stars? These cities have far too many streetlights, especially in residential areas. And the concerns about security? Studies have been done that show that where floodlights and interior lights have been turned off, vandalism, graffiti and other crime actually dropped dramatically. Bloomington has been complaining about the electric bill for street lights and I say to them, I'll be glad to give up the annoying, industrial, polluting lights that are in my residential neighborhood! "

Proud Conservative wrote on Mar 27, 2008 6:52 PM:

" Ugh. I'm really tired of the "go green" movement. Millions of years ago, this part of the world was covered in glacial ice. Where'd it all go? Was there global warming because cavemen and dinosaurs drove SUVs? My family will celebrate "Earth Hour" by letting both cars idle in the driveway, spraying aerosol hairspray, and turning on all the (non-politically correct) lightbulbs in our house. "

buckeye wrote on Mar 27, 2008 6:46 PM:

" Yet on sunday they will sponcer NASCAR, a series that attracts 250000 spectators that drive to the track burning fossel fuel , not to mention the thousands of gallons of raceing fuel and the 700 to 1200 tires landfilled after each race weekend. Go state farm envirofriendly companys like you will save us from ALGORE. "

Kevin wrote on Mar 27, 2008 6:27 PM:

" forget that. i'm not sitting in the dark for an hour "

Not so Political wrote on Mar 27, 2008 5:14 PM:

" With the savings on the electric bill will my insurance go down !! No really nice work by all doing this. "

chuck wrote on Mar 27, 2008 4:57 PM:

" I like this idea. Think I will do it as well. "

N595 wrote on Mar 27, 2008 4:53 PM:

" Now maybe State Farm can find a way to turn their sprinklers off when it is raining for water conservation. I love driving down Veterans Prkwy in a rain storm only to look over and see the sprinklers on at Corporate South. Way to use the premium dollars State Farm! "

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