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SHIRTS FOR CHANGE

Local Labor identity Morris Iemma issues an Earth Hour directive:

“The critics and sceptics need to get on board,” Mr Iemma told an audience of business supporters of Earth Hour this morning.

“It’s utter rubbish to say that symbolism can’t lead to change. Yes it’s about symbolism but it’s a very powerful one - it’s about saving the planet.”

And what better way to cool the earth than ...

... than to wear a really cool Earth Hour t-shirt?

Due to popular demand WWF-Australia has released its Earth Hour t-shirt to celebrate the campaign that urges people to switch off lights and non-essential appliances for one hour between 8pm and 9pm on March 29 all around the world.

Cool! And check out these cool, cool prices:

AU$29.95 delivered within Australia or AU$49.95 (approximately USD47.00/EUR31.00) delivered anywhere outside Australia.

A twenty-dollar hike for freight on a single t-shirt. Buy twenty plastic bags instead.

(Via JM, who emails: “I’m holding an Earth Hour party where we throw baby seals out of my high-rise and track their arcs with high-wattage spotlights.”)

Posted by Tim B. on 03/11/2008 at 09:33 AM
  1. According to their site there is a local business in nearby Lyon, France that is committed to taking part in this scam. Of course, as the event is planned for a Saturday night between 8pm and 9pm, the shop will already be closed. Energy saving? Zero.

    Colour me unsurprised.

    Posted by Villeurbanne on 2008 03 11 at 09:55 AM • permalink

  2. On the Australian side you’ll see that the City of Subiaco is one of the business supporters of Earth Hour. I wonder how the Fremantle v Hawthorn AFL match scheduled for that night at Subaico Oval (bouncedown at 7.40pm) will go for an hour without lights?

    Posted by Villeurbanne on 2008 03 11 at 10:02 AM • permalink

  3. PACO Retail should be able to come up with an alternative.

    Slightly OT. I was asked to take part in a survey about climate change. The questions were put in such a way that climate change was man made - and how should man fix it. But it asked for Organisations I trusted on Climate change (none) or experts or commentators I trusted. (I said Bolta and Tim Blair).

    Now to turn the lights off at a reasonable hour to get some sleep.

    Posted by Pa Feral on 2008 03 11 at 10:03 AM • permalink

  4. Would such shirts be woven from horsehair?

    Posted by Olrence on 2008 03 11 at 10:10 AM • permalink

  5. A twenty-dollar hike for freight on a single t-shirt..

    There’s a perfectly logical reason for that. Progressive Antipodal Clothing Outlets, Inc., is shipping these t-shirts to Australia via environmentally-friendly windjammer sailing ships. Under the leadership of Captain Jonathan “Keel Haul” Bluewater, these ships will be bringing the highest quality t-shirts to your shores (“Arrr! And a secret cargo of incandescent light bulbs, too, ya swabs!”). Powered only by the trade winds (and, on those occasions when becalmed, by rowers sourced from Paco Enterprises’ unpaid internship program) Captain Bluewater’s fleet is a costlier form of transport, to be sure, but one that is non-offensive in the sight of Gaia, and that dovetails nicely with the inelasticity of demand for progressive products.

    Posted by paco on 2008 03 11 at 10:22 AM • permalink

  6. “I’m holding an Earth Hour party where we throw baby seals out of my high-rise and track their arcs with high-wattage spotlights.”

    See if you can get them to bounce onto my grill.

    Posted by Merlin on 2008 03 11 at 10:29 AM • permalink

  7. Of course!

    Posted by paco on 2008 03 11 at 10:44 AM • permalink

  8. Thanks, but if I want predatory pricing I don’t need to go all the way to Australia for it.

    Posted by mojo on 2008 03 11 at 11:04 AM • permalink

  9. For AU$49.95, I expect my T-shirt to be made from that baby sealskin that JM is tossing around so casually.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2008 03 11 at 11:09 AM • permalink

  10. 8pm?  I would be tempted to turn on every light in the house just out of spite, but the kids will be already asleep.

    Posted by entropy on 2008 03 11 at 12:14 PM • permalink

  11. #5 paco

    Whatever the nihilistic lefty fad of the day may be, Paco Enterprises is there to fill the need. A pocket a handsome profit, as well.

    I commend you, sir!

    Posted by Spiny Norman on 2008 03 11 at 12:42 PM • permalink

  12. Whatever time of the day that is here, I’m turning on all the lights. 

    I looked at that shirt.  I’d rather wear a Che shirt.

    Posted by ushie on 2008 03 11 at 12:50 PM • permalink

  13. ...and don’t forget what Fairfax did to make this seem like a big deal last time round.

    Also note how the Earth Hour page is still shilling the 10.2% reduction figure even though it was fairly rigourously debunked last year (PDF), too.

    Posted by Villeurbanne on 2008 03 11 at 12:52 PM • permalink

  14. I thought the price was…well…ahem… a bit pricey. That was until I checked out the website and realized that it was really for

    retail therapy

    . I feel better now. Of course, probably not as good as they would if I took their therapy.

    Posted by Deborah Leigh on 2008 03 11 at 02:10 PM • permalink

  15. #10 Entropy, I’m surprised. The kids will be in bed? You are missing a perfect opportunity to teach them a valuable lesson, no make that two three a list…...1) Use what you pay for, 2) Kids in third world countries won’t be upset. They wish they had electricity., 3) Polar bears don’t care., 4)Liberals are idiots. Never believe what they say.

    This could be a family event. The family that consumes together…consumes together. So let the little tykes (can I say that) stay up a little late to

    Posted by Deborah Leigh on 2008 03 11 at 02:23 PM • permalink

  16. Let’s see, in my neck of the woods it’ll be from 8-9pm on a Saturday night.

    muahahahahahah

    Posted by Achillea on 2008 03 11 at 02:26 PM • permalink

  17. AU$49.95 (approximately USD47.00)

    Whew!  Gone are the days when you could stuff a list price into an envelope and magnanimously write ``keep the change for currency hassle’’ when buying a CD.

    They still get to keep the GST I guess.

    Posted by rhhardin on 2008 03 11 at 02:48 PM • permalink

  18. This is the only T-shirt with a logo I’ve purchased in… sheesh, years.

    Posted by Patrick Chester on 2008 03 11 at 03:13 PM • permalink

  19. “It’s utter rubbish to say that symbolism can’t lead to change. Yes it’s about symbolism but it’s a very powerful one - it’s about saving the planet.”

    Great, let’s all symbolically save a symbolic planet, symbolically elevate symbolic aborigines, symbolically replace all base-load electricity generation, symbolically replace a symbolic Kyoto, symbolically fight terrorism and corruption…

    Powerful, Easy.

    Posted by Barrie on 2008 03 11 at 04:58 PM • permalink

  20. #15 that’s very good advice.  I will pick a good moment and float it past da fuhrer Mrs Entropy.

    Posted by entropy on 2008 03 11 at 05:10 PM • permalink

  21. Have you noticed how all of these hare-brained leftist schemes are like the underwear gnomes in that South Park episode?

    1. Wear cool Earth Hour T-shirt
    2. ?
    3. Save Mother Earth!

    or

    1. Wave giant puppet heads
    2. ?
    3. World peace and social justice!

    Posted by rightwingprof on 2008 03 11 at 05:17 PM • permalink

  22. #19
    All of which Iemma would be fully aware as the owner of said utilities ... to the tune of crashing cymbals

    Posted by egg_ on 2008 03 11 at 06:12 PM • permalink

  23. #21 Professor, I think the underpants gnomes are far smarter though. These guys are just complete morons.

    Posted by Ash_ on 2008 03 11 at 06:19 PM • permalink

  24. I propose an event were we leave our lights on all night to protest the death of Westminster style government in New South Wales and its replacement with the Calabrian-Sicilian model.

    Honk if you think Iemma and his crew of retarded venal pickpockets should be strung up.


    Meanwhile, irony reigns supreme:

    Saturday 29 March at 7.30pm SBS TV

    Top Gear looks at eco-friendly cars, Jeremy takes a Lotus Elise for a spin and Richard test drives the Saab 9-3. In a bid to find the World’s fastest faith, Top Gear tests various men of God on the track and Status Quo’s Rick Parfitt tries out the reasonably priced car.

    Posted by monaro on 2008 03 11 at 06:21 PM • permalink

  25. Villeurbanne, hopefully folks will get their generators going in France and Australia, and in every city that supports this stupid display. Get those beacons going! As for the libs at the match, they can sit there with their eyes closed. No peeking!

    Posted by Deborah Leigh on 2008 03 11 at 07:04 PM • permalink

  26. Bunch of sheep, manipulated by the Fairfax media.

    I plan to put on my Christmas lights for the duration of the Earth Hour. Lets us throw some light upon the darkness these people are preaching.

    Posted by LaVallette on 2008 03 11 at 07:09 PM • permalink

  27. OMG! The Earthhour virus is more virulent than I thought! The Earthhour website shows a spinning planet as if at night with supporters represented by blue dots. (Hangs head) I’m ashamed to say that the US has the most idiots people idiots. (Deep sigh) Richard McEnroe, pass me the camera. You’ve got another apology to make.

    Posted by Deborah Leigh on 2008 03 11 at 07:15 PM • permalink

  28. Iemma’s certainly doing his bit. At the current rate NSW will be in complete darkness by 2009.

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2008 03 11 at 07:19 PM • permalink

  29. Wait, they’re offering to deliver something to anywhere on the planet? Somebody must have missed the memo that shipping goods kills Mother Gaia.

    Posted by PW on 2008 03 11 at 07:19 PM • permalink

  30. I think that to balance the darkness being visited upon us by our “betters”, I will fire up the Chinese two-stroke generator and run a string of parafloods (150W incandescents).  This should cancel out the rest of the street nicely!

    Posted by SezaGeoff on 2008 03 11 at 07:24 PM • permalink

  31. If Iemma truly wants to promote the cause, why doesn’t he give people the shirts ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2008 03 11 at 08:17 PM • permalink

  32. ‘course, shirt-lifters like David Marr will just help himself ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2008 03 11 at 08:19 PM • permalink

  33. Man steps out of the shadows. His hat is pulled down over his eyes and his collar is turned up to disguise his appearance. We will call him Man Incognito, or MI for short. He stops a passing businessman (PB).

    MI: We would you to get on board for Earth Hour. Save the planet, all that shit. Won’t cost much, twenty grand, thereabouts.
    PB: No thanks.
    MI: You don’t understand.  We want you to get on board for Earth Hour.
    PB: No. Out of my way.
    MI: Look, me and the boys insist you get on board – while you can. Hard to get on board when you have no knee caps.
    PB: Are you threatening me?
    MI: No, never, never. What I meant was if you slipped over in the dark, got mugged or something like that, during a blackout.
    PB: Wouldn’t that be more likely to happen if we joined in Earth Hour and turned off our lights.
    MI: No, you don’t understand.  It’s not about turning off your lights. Well, not exactly. We would like you to turn off your lights for Earth Hour. TV, newspapers, green vote, all that. It’s more about a donation to ensure you still have electricity when Earth Hour ends, if you know what I mean.
    PB: How much and how do I pay?
    MI:  $20,000. Brown paper bag posted to PO Box K406, Haymarket…

    Posted by Contrail on 2008 03 11 at 08:19 PM • permalink

  34. Meanwhile, in other eco news.

    TONY JONES: With the time we’ve got left, John Howard also argued on advice that you can’t build a base power generators using renewable energy, is that also your advice?


    Poor Penny. 
    She just couldn’t bring herself to say JoHo was right.

    Posted by lotocoti on 2008 03 11 at 08:34 PM • permalink

  35. O/T, but speaking of saving the earth and banning plastic bags, Andrew Bolt gives The Minister for Plastic Bags facts on plastic bags a good fisking…

    Posted by kae on 2008 03 11 at 08:37 PM • permalink

  36. Time to break out the highway flares.  Free carbon for anyone who wants it during Earth Hour…

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2008 03 11 at 08:44 PM • permalink

  37. Iemma: “The critics and sceptics need to get on board,”

    Is that right? 

    You, Mr Iemma, need to do your job and stay the Hell out of my life.

    As far as I know, no one has made you Emperor yet.

    How do you like them apples?

    Posted by Big Jim on 2008 03 11 at 08:53 PM • permalink

  38. #34
    Sounds like Ms Never-Wong should be Minister for ESL:

    PENNY WONG: Well, no, what we have said, two thing we have said.

    Esses, baby, mind your esses, if you are to be a public speaker ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2008 03 11 at 08:55 PM • permalink

  39. #38
    Ms Never-Wong’s first language may be Cantonese; however, KanTong Kev could prolly give her some pointers on adapting to the English dialect ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2008 03 11 at 09:34 PM • permalink

  40. Unfortunately there’s nowhere in Brisbane that hires out kleig searchlights so I’ll have to make do with what’s around the house. Fortunately the previous residents seem to have been deeply involved in indoor herb cultivation and the basement has about 100 flourescent tubes in the cieling, so along with the outdoor halogens we should be able to light up the area like a magnesium flare, and get the ol’ meter spinning like Farady in his grave in the presence of this idiocy.

    Posted by Habib on 2008 03 11 at 09:46 PM • permalink

  41. If I can’t celebrate it by ignoring it (when is it again?) I’m going to turn on all my lights, heating up 10C, fire the barbie (assuming I can dig it out of the snow) and enjoy a steak and scotch.

    Or maybe, I’ll walk through the streets of Ottawa, in sack-cloth, ringing a bell and crying “Repent ye sinners! Throw out you wealth! Freeze in the dark!”

    Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 03 11 at 10:45 PM • permalink

  42. #2 Maybe they’ll have Flanerry interrupt the game for two minutes of silence darkness.

    Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 03 11 at 10:47 PM • permalink

  43. #40 Habib, excellent suggestion; rent out some searchlights and turn them on for teh hour. I’ll look into this.

    Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2008 03 11 at 11:10 PM • permalink

  44. Hey Tim - how come you never sell some kind of t-shirt? I’d buy one from you.

    Posted by fluke_boy on 2008 03 12 at 02:39 AM • permalink


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