PRESS RELEASE

BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN
31st October 2007
4pm to 5pm

LIGHTS OUT FOR THE FEAST OF PLAYFUL DARKNESS

On the evening of Wednesday 31st October 2007, all over Britain, offices, shops, public buildings and homes are being asked to turn off the lights for one precious hour of Climate Calm between 4pm and 5pm.

We hope that people will be playful, but stay safe, during BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN.

Turn off the burn : switch off and unplug things you don't need for an hour.

A Big Switch Off is a beacon of hope.

It's going to be a great collective moment of action on energy, and we hope everyone can make a contribution. We are all connected together by the electricity supply, the National Grid, and so it is highly symbolic to turn out the lights. Let's work together on energy waste !

We're not going to get dogmatic or nag, but to those Energy Wasters who won't join in we say : "What a waste of energy !"

Responding to Climate Change starts with thinking about the way we use energy, and we hope that this Lights Out moment will help people to think about the ways in which they can save energy.

Saving energy is so much cheaper than providing more energy as demand goes up. We are constructing more clean energy systems, but it is taking time and money to get this done. Energy conservation is still a very good idea, that we need to put into practice.

BLACKOUT BRITAIN is not only about individual actions. We also want to encourage people to think about ways in which their employers and Local Authorities can save energy.

We also want people to show their support for sensible, practical policies on the use of Carbon Energy in Britain, by getting involved in the democratic processes of change.

Climate Change is a serious issue, and some people find it frightening and depressing. This 31st October, we hope to dispel the inner gloom and doom, whilst cutting our dependency on Carbon Energy.

For those people who feel unsafe to turn the lights out and unplug equipment, you can do other things that are equally important.

For the average person, transport energy makes up a third of their use, and heating energy makes up another third. So travelling less on 31st October and using less heating and hot water is just as good as turning the lights out.

And while you're not burning fuel, you don't need to sit alone in the dark and do nothing. You can be doing other enjoyable things instead.

There are many fun and Carbon-free ways to enjoy the Feast of Playful Darkness. Here are some of the things that our supporters are planning. Feel free to join in or do your own thing. And do let us know what you're up to :-

info [at] blackoutbritain.org.uk

MASSED CHOIRS OF THE CARBON SAINTES AND THE CLIMATE DAMNED

The massed choirs of the Blessed Carbon Saintes & the Climate Damned will be gathered together in diverse publick places on the streets of London, Englande on Wednesday 31st October 2007 AD.

There will be merrye Gospell Musick as the Carbon Saintes publishe a BLACKOUT for the nyght, being from sunset at 4 o'clock for one dark & playful hour.

The Climate Damned will only have permit to utter hellish shrieking and ghoulish wailing, as all manner of lights be extinguished around them & kinde hope is lost.

As any fule know, unto Parliament comes a Climate Change Bill & All are exhorted to go politicking for stricte Climate Laws of the Realm, beseeching wisdom & fayre Carbon Rations.

Please wear of nyghtshade purple & limelight green & join the choirs.

CLIMATE RADIO

If you have a laptop, charge up its battery in advance of the BLACKOUT, and then unplug it for the BLACKOUT, and spend part of that hour sitting in the calm dark, listening to Climate Radio using the power saved on your battery :-

http://coinet.org.uk/discussion/climate_radio

If you want to see some inspiring images and numbers to accompany your listening :-

http://www.lightsoutsf.org/images.html
http://www.lightsoutlondon.com/gallery.asp
http://www.smh.com.au/earthhour/2008

FRIDGE PARTY

If you're going to turn off your refrigerator for an hour to save energy, why not explore its inner reaches and pull out everything that is ready to eat (especially if it's near its sell-by best-by date), and share it with your lime and purple buddies during the Dark Hour. Yes, that includes the half bottle of wine that's been in there since Saturday.

WITCHES AT WORK

For those who are office-bound, we recommend playing the part of a BLACKOUT WITCH for the day.

Show your support for the BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN by wearing purple and lime somewhere on your body.

Carry a long twig and utter spells throughout the day such as "Make cool !" whilst turning down the thermostat of the central heating system.

Another suitable spell would be : "Ride the broom broom. Say bye-bye to vroom vroom !" whilst temporarily, jokingly, hiding your best workmate's car keys (in full sight, of course, we don't want office wars).

CANDELA-BRAS : MAKE-A-THON(G)

Take a couple of wire coathangers in good old Blue Peter stylee, and shape them into the silhouette of a brassiere (you know, the undergarment of unreconstructed women).

Then find ways to attach candles and hang the CANDELA-BRA from your light fitting at home, to light when the lights are off.

If you attach lace and satin to the CANDELA-BRA to increase its allure, be careful not to let it catch fire.

Of course, you could make a CANDELA-THONG or other similar garment profile instead, for the holding of candles in interesting, amusing and stimulating ways.

BRITTANY SPARES SINGS THE PURPLES

It just so happens that the youthful and lovely, but troubled, Britney Spears will be releasing her new album "BLACKOUT" on 30th October, just in time for our event. We are sure it's no coincidence. She is welcome to join us for BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN.

We want to celebrate all that's Carbon-free in this young woman's life, taking inspiration from her impulsiveness, her drive, her cravings, her struggle for independence, her showmanship and her fashion faux-pas.

We applaud you Britney, for joining our call to BLACKOUT.

We have heard rumours that BRITTANY SPARES, a rather ample drag queen, is drawing together a wardrobe of purple and lime satin and is planning a show of cover songs in some steaming underground pit somewhere around the time of BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN...

THE LONG DARK TEATIME OF THE SOUL

Make time for yourself and your soul.

Go home and turn out the lights and sit on the floor and close your eyes and drink in the calm.

Meditate on all things cool, dark and Carbon-free during the Teatime Dark Hour of BLACKOUT HALLOWEEN.

Ask your inner light : what does your Planet need you to do ?

CARBON RATION CARDS

We love local low-Carbon solutions. Why not handcraft your own Carbon Ration Cards during the Dark Hour of 31st October to hand out to friends, workmates and relatives ?

We suggest you include the following details in your design :-

http://www.zerocarbonbritain.com
http://www.icount.org.uk
http://www.teqs.net
http://www.carbonrationing.org.uk

BLACKOUT BONFIRE

One BLACKOUT campaigner has become a complainer :-

"We should be celebrating the protection of democracy on Guy Fawkes' Night on 5th November 2007 with a bonfire and homecooked food, but the democratic will for a stronger Climate Change Bill is being ignored at present."

"We are bowing to the consumer culture of this celebration, imported from the United States, and finding ourselves forced into buying silly ghoulish costumes and spending our savings on pumpkins and candies to appease the threats of trick-or-treat fiends."

"We are dreading the thought of being made to endure this fake festival every year. Let's take back the night of Halloween this year and make it a sacred Climate Night of Calm."

WATCH & WAIT OR (S)WITCH & SAVE ?

Heard about Peak Energy ? If not, here's a taster...

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,2195697,00.html "Fear of global slowdown as oil price soars : Opec under fire as US crude nears $100 a barrel : 'I think we're at the crunch point,' agreed Kona Haque, senior commodities editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, 'Prices could test $100.' Higher oil prices will contribute to short-term inflationary pressures, making it harder for central banks to cut interest rates and ease the pain of the credit crunch, while in the medium-term, higher bills for households and businesses take their toll on growth. OPEC has announced it will increase production by 500,000 barrels a day from 1 November, but Haque said that was 'nowhere near enough'. Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, has added his voice to calls for the cartel to open the taps."

Maybe OPEC cannot increase production : there are signs that both petroleum and Natural Gas production have reached their maximum in the Middle East. Prices will continue to rise, just as the Arctic continues to melt :-

http://www.oil-price.net
http://www.peakoil.net
http://www.energybulletin.net/35843.html

Perhaps we should be saving energy, then...