[EricVanWyk]

I hope we haven't broken the soapbox yet, I'll have to risk it...

When a cause becomes large enough, it's supporters have a some distribution of effectiveness. At some point, a significant number (though hopefully not percentage) will have a negative effectiveness. My most accessible example of this is the extremist part of PETA. Their over the top actions reduces the credibility of the entire movement.

I am not suggesting that we must all become boring centrists. I am also not suggesting that Earth Hour has crossed this line. Instead, we must be very selective in how we present our arguments. We are not trying to convince ourselves, we are trying to convince others. Identify and know your audience.

With this in mind, please remember that this is not about the power saved during that hour. It is about dedicating an hour to education.