Forget Earth Hour, Celebrate Human Achievement Hour

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Ben Froland in Articles

Edison and his Light Bulb

This Saturday the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) organized “Earth Hour” will take place. According to WWF their mission is “to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.” And just who is degrading the Earth’s natural environment? WWF claims that it is we developed nations that are responsible through “climate change.” (the artist formerly known as global warming) To raise awareness they would have you turn all of your lights off for an hour to show your solidarity with other enlighted individuals. WWF proudly recalls previous Earth Hours where “Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.”

Les Paul's Electric Guitar

There you have it folks. The greatest joy these green collectivists have is snuffing out the bright lights representing the progress of mankind. Each subsequent generation of people have sought to improve their standard of living and WWF would like to have you sit in the dark. Rolling back the clock on civilization would certainly be harmful to us as Americans and do nothing for the environment.

MoonShot

It is a myth that lesser-developed countries are somehow more “eco-friendly” than prosperous nations such as the United States. If you doubt I’m right, just pick a third world country and see how clean and “green” they are. Their water sources double as their highways, bathtubs, and sewers. Garbage is piled up outside of the home with no sanitation system. (and certainly no recycling program) Raw materials are inefficiently burned in massive quantities to produce modest amounts of heat and energy. In early America the plains Indians would stampede an entire herd of buffalo off of a cliff just to harvest what they could eat before it spoiled.

Jarvik Artificial Heart

It is also a myth that man is the only “animal” that alters its environment. All animals do. Birds build nests, beavers build dams, and whitetail deer shred trees with their antlers for example. For food herbivores devour plants, carnivores devour herbivores, and omnivores consume both. To paraphrase author Christopher Horner, the only animal that doesn’t alter its environment is the winged unicorn.

Wozniak's Apple II Computer

Rather than feel guilty about our wealth and prosperity we should celebrate it. Each year to coincide with Earth Hour, the Competitive Enterprise Institute promotes Human Achievement Hour. They use the same hour to reflect on the great advancement of mankind and enjoy the fruits of free-market success. They invite you to do the same by leaving your heat on, going to see a movie, or having dinner out. All things that undeveloped nations would love to be able to do.

We as Americans should feel particularly proud of the prosperity springing from the freedoms of this great republic. Free enterprise, ingenuity, and hard work have lifted millions up from poverty and created a lifestyle that other countries envy. We are living longer, healthier lives and remaining active throughout them. We’ve explored areas from the bottom of the sea to the surface of the moon itself. We carry the internet and GPS around in our pockets. This is a magnificent time to celebrate the marvels of the age and the country we live in.