There are 8,760 hours in a year, on average you will spend 2080 of those working, over 1000 watching TV, and 250 of them commuting. On Sunday March 26th almost 5 million people around the world will be taking one of those hours to shut off their lights and “switch off” their way to a better Earth.
What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour, organized by the World Wildlife Fund, is an exciting opportunity to take just one hour of your life and make a stand for something much bigger then all of us.
“Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries/territories participating. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.” – Earth Hour Website
How can I get involved?
Earth Hour participants are encouraged to shut off the lights for one hour starting at 8:30 pm local time Sunday March 26th, get out, meet their neighbors and find fun new ways of interacting with people. There are urban stargazing tours, made possible by the diminished light as major skyscrapers flip the switch, candlelight cocktail hours, or you could just grab a friend and head to the park for a candlelight picnic. Whatever is planned, participants are given an opportunity to engage with their surroundings in a new and fun way, all while taking a stand against climate change.
Beyond the Hour
This year, WWF and Earth Hour are wanting to take it to find ways to challenge participants to get involved in more ways then just flipping off the switch. Using Earth Hour as a launching pad they launched an innovative website “Beyond the Hour” where participants can post their ideas for how they can build off of Earth Hour in simple and creative ways to make this world a better place.
Will you be participating in Earth Hour this year? Share with us on Twitter, Facebook, or in the comments section below this post how you would like to participate. Planning an event in your city? Have a great idea for something to do? Let us know and we’ll help you share it with the world. In the meantime check out these great resources to find out how you can get involved in Earth Hour events near you: