I gotta say I loved the blackout of 2003 in New York City. Besides the monster blisters I had on my feet after walking from my job in mid-town Manhattan to my home in Brooklyn--it was an amazing experience. I got to know my co-workers, I got to know my neighbors, I got to appreciate my apartment by candlelight, I got to eat discounted half-melted popsciles from the corner store, and yes, I got (or had) to set aside time to clean out the freezer.

It looks like I'm not alone. Rufus Wainwright feels the same way and is calling for a "Blackout Sabbath" to happen from noon to midnight on June 21st--the longest day of the year. The event also goes down as one of my favorite images of the environmental movement. He talks about it with Lloyd Alter via Treehugger.com (reposted here):

Rufus Wainwright found the last New York power failure "incredibly invigorating, spiritual and practical at the same time: we all had to pay attention to each other! Not to mention that Manhattan in total darkness was oddly enough a beautiful sight to behold.

Now he is proposing that on June 21st, the longest day of the year and the summer solstice, we all turn everything off (lights, fridge, computer, everything) from noon to midnight. "The time could be spent contemplating alone or with friends on the coming year and what personally one can do to save the planet."

He adds that "Mummy (Kate McGarrigle) says it's a good day to also empty out the fridge." ::Blackoutsabbath via ::Grist; be sure to watch Rufus' amazing performance of "Get Happy" at Glastonbury below the fold, and to learn how to really enjoy a New York Blackout, watch Joan Crawford in the original Night Gallery episode "Eyes", directed by an unknown Steven Spielberg.

Labels: energy efficiency, NYC, Rufus Wainwright, sarah, treehugger