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Month: March 2009
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Earth Hour 2009: Success or Failure?
2009 is the third year Sydney has participated in Earth Hour, an annual event where people are asked to switch off their lights (just their lights) for 60 minutes. I've made time lapse movies of the event each year from different locations. 2007 I shot the city from my balcony in Watsons Bay. In 2008 I ventured into Fleet Steps near Mrs Macquarie's Chair near the official Earth Hour function site. Both these shoots were west facing and showed the Macquarie street neons plus the neons on Castlereagh and Elizabeth streets.
The 2007 event was very impressive as many building owners and managers communicated with their tenants to turn their lights off for the hour. Now, this shouldn't be too hard a task really because many buildings have centrally controlled BMS (Building Management Systems). Of course some organisations do have late weekend shifts, especially those who deal with US or European HQs or the NYSE.
2008 was also pretty good.
This year I ventured to the other side of the city to shoot looking east, over Darling Harbour (the body of water, not the tourist destination). I found a great (secret) location, set up the gear and started shooting. Sounds boring? Not at all. I was joined by Chris Larson (Larso) and we both proceeded to 'gar up. Me; Monte Christo A – superb! Larso: Hupman Magnum. Must have been good because he went for another.
Coincidentally an Earth Hour volunteer happened by. The Lars and I were thinking that this year the result was no so great. We saw some lights go off here and there. The major neons were off. Not so we were informed by Sara/Sarah. Best year ever we were informed. More companies participating than ever etc etc.
However The Bond, Australia's first 5 Star Green Rated building was lit up like a Christmas tree. Or so we thought. Because when Earth Hour finished they somehow found even more lights on the top floor, north end to burn up. The Bond is a 5 story low rise on the left side of the shots below. It's right above the light of the harbour beacon which thankfully stayed on all night, unlike a certain passenger vessel with 5 drunk idiots on board that ventured into the main channel without any navigation lights on. Fools!
Below are 4 pix of the event. Now you tell me; based on the fact that Earth Hour is a symbolic event to educate the public and enterprise that even something as simple as flicking a light switch off can make a huge difference to global warming, was Earth Hour 2009 a success?
For my money – I don't think so. I think the environment still plays second fiddle to the economy and Earth Hour this year should have tapped that idea ie save money, save the environment, and would have much better buy in.
7.30 PM – 1 hour before the official start
8.25 PM – 5 minutes before the official start (that's a plane, not a UFO)
9.00 PM – The half way mark
10.00 PM – 30 minutes after the official finish
(Technical notes – these images were shot on a Canon 30D using a 10-22mm f/3.5 Canon EF-S lens @ 10mm. Each exposure is 5 secs @ f/8. The ISO was set at 1600. They have all been cropped from the standard 4:3 to 16:9 ratio. Next time, I'd shoot much tighter to retain more image quality at larger sizes)
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Me in the SMH – 11th Paragraph
Twitter: the new way to find a job – BizTech – Technology – smh.com.au.
Interesting experiences here although I do not agree at all with the last couple of paragraphs. Online branding/personal branding is IMPERATIVE! Branding, and this is what 99.9% of advertisers and 'brand managers' either don't understand or don't know, IS ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. Build your brand, build your relationships. They will be the absolute cornerstone to success; personally, professionally, commercially.
Update 28/03/09 1040hrs: Just received first LinkedIn request related to the story.
1. Jobs Are The New Assets – 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now – TIME.
This is a timely reminder to those who have jobs to not take them for granted. It’s also a call to return to basics and that out-of-date, old fashioned, wealth creation technique call budgeting – and living within one.
I swear, if I see one of these interactive billboards/poster sites in my outings I will destroy it beyond recognition. I got 3 words; invasion of privacy.
(If you can't tell what's going on, you sit on the seat and your weight appears on the GIANT FUCKING BILLBOARD)
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Unemployed using Web 2.0 to get jobs
Unemployed using Web 2.0 to get jobs.
This is an interesting albeit very short read, especially the comments.
However, until we (Australians) can get twitter updates via SMS then this option is just for those with iPhones, iTouches and web enabled smart phones.
The Boss – For Twitter C.E.O., Well-Orchestrated Accidents – NYTimes.com.
Nice little bio from the sort-of-founder of twitter, Evan Williams.
I particularly like the para, “My life has been a series of well-orchestrated accidents; I’ve always suffered from hallucinogenic optimism. I was broke for more than 10 years. I remember staying up all night one night at my first company and looking in couch cushions the next morning for some change to buy coffee.” I feel your pain, brother.
This is just too fantastic.
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I am not ‘Craig’
What's the bet this turns out to be some kind of marketing stunt like the three previous attempts I've blogged here:
1) World's best job – tourist destination ad
2) Cinderella jacket – fashion advertising
3) Video blogging – for a TV show.
Is Craigslist getting a .com.au space perhaps? It shows a 404 error….
Another fascinating and insightful story from Richard St.John’s blog
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