Somewhere in the noise is a song. Somewhere in the cacophony is a melody—a sweet sound. The ensemble is our attempt to discover the rhythms, the groanings and the eureka moments of life amongst the noise.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

The 40-hour drought:
Up for a challenge?

Last Sunday night out the back of our place, we had a micro-version of the National Carbon Test.

Carbon emissions are one of those pesky little things that, if you haven't already, it's time to start caring about. I remember the day I starting turning a darker shade of green. January 1, 2007...about 30 minutes into An Inconvenient Truth. I'm not crediting myself with any of the changes we've made in the aftermath of the movie, but, as someone involved in advertising, I can't help being incredibly impressed by a talking head (who used to be considered a wooden politician) giving a lecture that changed the way I lived.

Anyway, enough Al Gore adulation. Back in here in Australia we're big on carbon and way short on water. A couple of school kids got together as part of the Heywire scheme and came up with a plan: as a means of both appreciating the dire situation for many Australians, and to save a bunch of water along the way, have a 40-hour drought. A bit like a 40-hour famine, but with water.

The challenge is this: 40 hours, 40 litres of water per person.

The 40 hours is from 7am Wednesday 21 March to 11pm Thursday 22 March

The 40-hour drought website will let you know what it takes to use only 40 litres in 40 hours (it's not as easy as it sounds...Australians use, on average, about 200 litres every 24 hours!). You can also download this pdf to help you keep track of your consumption for the 40 hours.

Up for it? I'm hoping I can garner enthusiasm from at least 12 cacophanists. Join me—we'll smell together.

If you're good to go, copy the comment, add your name, and re-post the comment. Go on - do us all a favour!

11 comments:

Simon Elliott said...

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Anonymous said...

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Anonymous said...

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5. Bronwyn Rogers
6. Johari Lanng
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Gráinne O'Donovan said...

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5. Bronwyn Rogers
6. Johari Lanng
7. Gráinne O'Donovan
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Anonymous said...

The question that immedietly springs to mind... what if i use a public lavatory... do I just leave a floater or do I do a Borat on it? :)

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5. Bronwyn Rogers
6. Johari Lanng
7. Gráinne O'Donovan
8. Irish
9.
10.
11.
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Anonymous said...

The question that immedietly springs to mind... what if i use a public lavatory... do I just leave a floater or do I do a Borat on it? :)

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5. Bronwyn Rogers
6. Johari Lanng
7. Gráinne O'Donovan
8. Irish
9.
10.
11.
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Simon Elliott said...

Your focus may be too narrow. Think beyond the porcelain to sand & shovel (or just aganst the fence)...

Clare said...

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5. Bronwyn Rogers
6. Johari Lanng
7. Gráinne O'Donovan
8. Irish
9. Clare
10.
11.
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Simon Elliott said...

The 40-hour drought: The first 12

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5. Bronwyn Rogers
6. Johari Lanng
7. Gráinne O'Donovan
8. Irish
9. Clare
10. Claire
11. Joshua Dunjey
12.

NB. You don't have to be in Australia to play this game...and we don't have to stop at 12 either. It's just an excellent number.

Anonymous said...

1. Simon Elliott
2. Fiona Elliott
3. Chris Marks
4. Kyla Marks
5. Bronwyn Rogers
6. Johari Lanng
7. Gráinne O'Donovan
8. Irish
9. Clare
10. Claire
11. Joshua Dunjey
12. Sarah Green

I'm in!

Simon Elliott said...

Gidiup! The 12 stinkers!