Saturday March 26th at 8:30 Eastern Standard Time is the 4th annual Earth Hour. It is a worldwide voluntary symbolic stand against climate change. Millions of people from all across the globe will turn off their lights for an hour celebrating the earth.
Earth Hour is an awareness campaign with an important message to be more conscious about our energy consumption. An event connects us to other countries and communities around the globe that creates conversation and inspires action. It also gives me an opportunity to geek out and install a flashy banner like this one.
This year Earth Hour is launching, Beyond the Hour. It is an online platform highlighting commitments to sustainable changes, big or small. The inspirational list is growing! Here are two examples quoted directly from the website.
For more information about climate change, the WWF has a comprehensive pocket guide. It explains the crisis of our planet and what actions are needed to help.
Last year 128 countries, territories and millions of people participated in Earth Hour. Famous landmarks from across the world darkened their lights for the hour and the earth hour video captures some of the events.
There are many ways to participate this year. You can find an Earth Hour event in your community or plan an Earth Hour party of your own. This year as we switch off the lights, let’s work together at creating a better future for the planet.
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I don’t know why I thought this was in April – I am obviously mixing it up with something else. My husband was all depressed about climate change etc this week (gotta stop him listening to CBC podcasts, I think) and is looking for ways to do something, so we will check out Beyond the Hour.
It’s funny…I thought it was in April too! I’m feeling like your husband these days about climate change.
I have fond memories of previous Earth Hours. I actually stay away from the public events (I don’t like crowds) and spend time at home having conversations! Shocking, I know.
What frustrates me about Earth Hour is how ineffective it is. Lighting accounts for such a tiny proportion of household energy use – even when using incandescent rather than CFL bulbs! I’m not sure people realize that we choose to turn off the lights to support Earth Hour because it’s a tangible and (obviously) visible action, not because it saves large amounts of power. What I’d like to know is, do people start using energy more efficiently after participating?
I don’t think people participating in Earth Hour think that that one hour is going to save the planet. (Gosh, I hope not!) I think it does inspire conversation and awareness that generates change. The amazing increase in participating numbers are encouraging.
I know that Earth Hour has largely been seen as a symbolic event, and so I really love the idea of Beyond the Hour. And even if it is only symbolic, I still love Earth Hour because it makes our family turn off all the lights and the gadgets, and gather around the candles and really pay attention to each other. I also think it does work to build awareness in our children, and so we embrace this hour fully in our house and look forward to it every year.
Your Earth hour sounds lovely Finola. I really like the Beyond the Hour idea too and agree it does build awareness in our kids especially.
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