Jade Maccini, Northfield: I want to make a difference by taking shorter, colder showers and spending less time watching television. Let's be responsible for the planet we were given!!
Paul Lee, Waterloo: I will turn my lights and airconditioner off. Will also bike or walk to work.
Wendell Graves, St. Thomas: I am going to turn off my air conditioner walk or bike to work and turn off my computer for at least 6 hours.
Caroline, Burlington: I'm going to shut everything down and play candlelight poker!
Amanda Denstedt, Woodstock: I will be turning off my lights and air conditioner and unplug any unnecessary appliances
Derek Mason, Washington: I plan to be outside and to read books by candle light or by flashlight. I will try to recreate that weekend again.
Marg Lemoine, Fergus: Work on quilting by candlelight - how romantic!!
Diane & Harold Irwin,Caledon: Dine with my husband in candlelight and enjoy our favourite wine. Read a book and sing a song
M. Holmes, Durham: Will be camping with no hook-ups, so no hydro, will BBQ all meals, use battery lights. Sit around campsite, singing to guitar players, go for long walks and talk to lots of friends.
Janice Cournoyer, Lorette: We have planned a scavenger hunt. with eco friendly prizes
Mark Bartlett, Windsor: I will host a Blackout Day event at my business, encourage employees to walk, bike or carpool to work, minimize use of office equipment and promote Blackout Day to employees and customers..
Kathy Hough, London: I am going to make at least 2 meals without use of any appliance.
Kate Voltan, Ottawa: We will be promoting Blackout Day again this year to help reduce our carbon footprint and to encourage our customers to do the same! We will be turning off all lights, minimizing the use of office equipment, encouraging employees to walk, bike or carpool, to pack a waste free lunch, and most of all we will be encouraging our employees and customers to become more aware of how much energy they use in a day and to reduce wherever possible. This is a great initiative that Organically Gifted fully supports – don’t miss out on Aug 14th, 2009!
Anne Reesor, Toronto: Will avoid using hot water and will not use the washer or dryer for the day.
David Massolin, Moonstone: I will turn off my lights, computer and television and unplug unnecessary appliances for the day.
Damian Syzbalski, Halton Hills: Put out a media release to promote actions for Halton Hills residents to reduce energy consumption, turn off unnecessary energy products at Town facilities and bring awareness to use less energy.
Kristyn Vaillancourt, London: I will not use my washer or dyer for the day and will turn off the television for 12 hours.
Heather Little, Mississauga: I will BBQ, read a book under a flashlight & open windwos for fresh air instead of using the air conditioner.
Lorraine Curry, Burlington:Have a camp fire in the backyard at night and have all lights off in the house for the entire night.
Claudette Saint-Paquette, Hamilton: I now use a "green" laundry detergent in cold water for most of our clothes. I also have purchased a small drying rack - we live in a condo - and I dry the clothes until just slightly damp. Then I use the dryer for a few minutes. Even the towels come out soft and easy to fold. I have saved tons of energy doing that and using the dryer after 10 pm, following the SmartMeter guide. My energy bills are now reasonable.
Angela Robinson, Kitchener: Get outside and walk my dogs, have a picnic supper, and watch the night sky, or we will stay inside if weather is bad and play backgammon or cards, still have our picnic, and give all the pets a nice brushing and massage!
Susan Brown: This is our chance to see the night sky! Lie on your back on a sleeping bag or yoga mat, or lean back in a lawn chair, and you will probably see some of the "shooting stars", early in the Perseid meteor shower, that are bits of a comet that passed through Earth's orbit.
Barb Keck, Burlington: Wine and cheese dinner by candle light - my favourite!
Valerie Dexel, Burlington : I will turn off lights and air conditioner, will not use washer or dryer for the day and I will unplug any unnecessary appliances.
Josephine Sawyer, Callander: I will unplug unnecessary appliances and will turn off my computer for at least 6 hours.
Joel Carr-Braint, Corbyville: We will take a walk around the block and visit nieghbors doing the same.
Sheryl Saint, Mississauga: I will be co-hosting a neighbourhood party. I have encouraged everyone to turn off their lights and A/C, unplug unnecessary appliances and come celebrate with our neighbours.
Heather Moran, Cambridge: Turning off my lights, my computer and unplugging unnecessary appliances.
Deb Riopel, Ingersoll: I plan on having a fondue and making at least 2 meals without using any appliances.
Monica Urbanas, London: Will turn my lights and computer off and uplug and unnecessary appliances.
Sherrie Kautman, Cedar Rapids: Enjoy time outside during the day, hiking, running, and maybe a picnic. At night I will light up some candles and read, write, or paint.
Mike Fredricksson, LaSalle: Will make at least 2 meals with out the use of appliances, unplug any unnecessary appliances, turn off my lights and computer.
Elaine Morton, Mississauga: Join my friends and neighbours at a blackout party which has been organized by a great team of party animals.
Naomi Armstrong: For our day camp, I had this Blackout Day activity in mind. Have kids enter a room (ideally one with a sink) and have the lights on, air conditioner running, faucet dripping, cell phone charger plugged in but no cell phone charging, computer on, but not on standby etc. Ask kids what is wrong with this picture and what can be done to save energy. Person with most energy saving ideas wins. You could also have plastic bottles in garbage and not in recycling bin. Store bought purchases in plastic bags, next to fabric bags not in use, etc.
Darci Lombard, Miller Lake: We had so much fun on Blackout Day last year(and cut our power usage by 50%)that we wanted to join the challenge again! Our campground and cottage resort in Miller Lake on the Bruce Penisula will be turning the lights out and powering down (except maybe the icecream freezers!) We will have special children's activities and evening star gazing as well as special offers in our gift shop, "candlelight breakfast" and a unique menu in our cafe! We are looking forward to the event, and what better way to spend Blackout day/night than looking up at our beautiful dark skies on the Bruce Peninsula or a night of s'mores by the campfire!
Randa Speller, Chatham: Well, I have to work Friday, but will commit to only using my computer for two or less hours. We'll use less lighting and air conditioning, and lunch will be non-refrigerated and litterless. I may share my desk with people who don't sit by windows :-)
Hank Helmond, Waterloo: Have a BBQ. Cooking will be done by gas and lights by candlelight. Beverages will be kept cool on ice.
Jimi Boise, Mississauga: I will turn off my lights and television for the day and unplugged unnecessary appliances.
Jude Anderson, Parry Sound: Listen to music on my windup radio and play cards by candlelight.
Thomas Dowswell, Parry Sound: Write lyrics with pencil and paper.
Sheryl Savard, Edmonton: *Use an office with natural light. *Use candles in the morning and evening.
Amanda Hill, Parry Sound: I will turn off my lights, leave my computer off for at least 6 hours and will not do laundry on Blackout Day.
Murray Drewery, Blenheim: Watch the show in the sky and turn off my lights, air conditioner, computer for the day!
Susan Adamson, Parry Sound: Swim/walk my dogs for at least 2 hours and sit on the deck and read. Weed my garden. BBQ lnch and supper.
John & Maureen Rynard, Parry Sound: We will have our computer, air conditioner and lights off and will not use our wash and dryer for the day.
John Bajc, Aylmer: I will turn my computer off and will not use the washer or dryer and keep the TV off for 12hours.