Statesman

Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: News

Media Credit: David Cowardin Juniors Corey McBride and Sarah Timm shop in the dark over Earth Hour at Trailfitters while waiting for their table at the Brewhouse.

Media Credit: Joe Olivieri The Aerial Lift Bridge went dark over Earth Hour, but light was still beaming above most of Canal Park.

On Saturday, March 28, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Earth Hour was a hit in Duluth. Sara's Table, Fitger's Brewhouse and Trailfitters all went dark and supplemented candlelight to keep their businesses open, however, not everyone was happy.

Fitger's Brewhouse General Assistant Manager Ashley Cameron said that they had diners who were upset about the lack of lighting, and didn't understand the difference it was making to burn candles instead of having the lights on. Cameron explained to these costumers that the event was one of "significant importance" to them.

"We think it's really important; something we can be a part of," Cameron said.

In a response to the recent media coverage revolving Earth Hour, some bloggers have claimed the event as being "futile." Tom Cariveau, a UMD sophomore and the man responsible for bringing Earth Hour to Duluth, made a post on the blog, "Perfect Duluth Day," advocating Earth Hour.

"I'll have all my lights ON. This is a waste of time," one blogger said in reply to Cariveau's post.

"I have to get up to Home Depot and buy some extra lights for 'Earth Hour'!" another blogger added.

Trailfitter Sales Representative and UMD junior Andy Smith was working over Earth Hour, handing out headlamps to shoppers and preparing candles around the store. He said that Trailfitters decided to go dark because it fits in with their initiative as a business. He said that Trailfitter's plastic bags are biodegradable and they also recycle all of their cardboard and paper. In regards to the Earth Hour debate, Smith had his own thoughts.

"You're going to have two sides to every argument," Smith said. "People just need to realize that we don't own the Earth, we're borrowing it from our children."

Juniors Corey McBride and Sarah Timm stopped by Trailfitters to shop around while they waited for a table at Fitger's Brewhouse. They sifted through shirts and other items of clothing using headlamps as their source of light. Just like Smith, they were happy to see Earth Hour in Duluth, and held their own thoughts on the issue.

"I just don't think they realize that the point is to send a message," McBride said, regarding the critics of Earth Hour.

"I think the whole purpose is to get people aware," Timm added.

Sara's Table also went dark, serving meals by candlelight. According to Sara's Table Shift Manager Ben Hoffmeister, the critics of Earth Hour are just like kids in middle school who try to pull people down when they show an interest in something.

"The smart guy is somehow the dumb kid," Hoffmeister said. "It's funny how arrogant people can be."

Whatever side people fell on the issue, Earth Hour still made its presence in Duluth, offering the community awareness of the larger global issue of global warming. Now the lift bridge can go on the list of physical landscapes that went dark in 2009, along with the Empire State Building in N.Y., Sears Tower in Chicago, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and many others.

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