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Turn Off the Lights for Earth Hour

by Theresa Carpine3/22/2009 1:26:38 PM

What are you doing on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 PM? If you’ve chosen to participate in the third annual Earth Hour, it means switching the lights off for one hour in a campaign against global warming.

What will you do for Earth Hour?

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when over two million households and businesses turned off the lights for one hour. The now worldwide climate change initiative is organized by WWF, the global conservation organization, to get cities around the world to “vote” for Earth by turning off their lights. Their goal is to enlist 1 billion people in 1,000 cities to participate, in hopes that this united stance will encourage world leaders to take action for Earth at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark later this year.

The “rules” of Earth Hour are flexible. If you have kids that will already be in bed by 8:30, start your hour earlier in the evening. Earth Hour organizers also emphasize that only “non-essential” lighting or electronics need to be turned off; emergency or safety lighting is okay.

Even if you don’t have strong political feelings about global warming, Earth Hour is still a great idea for getting kids to turn off the television and the computer for some quality family time. Gather around the fireplace to play board games, or start up the family band by playing musical instruments by candle light. Take a night walk and go stargazing (if it’s not too cloudy). Maybe you’ll have such a good time together as a family, you’ll want to make Earth Hour a weekly or monthly event in your household.

Keep in mind that Earth Hour is largely a symbolic gesture. Turning off the lights for one hour, even on a worldwide scale, will not reverse the human impact on global warming by any means. But it will hopefully serve as a call-to-action for more environmental regulation at the government level.

Individuals or businesses can sign up to join the movement at Earth Hour and get some ideas for more ways to spend your hour with the lights out.

If you decide to participate, tell us about it in the Neighborhood-Kids.com Forum!

A Note About the Author: Theresa Carpine

Theresa Carpine graduated from WWU in 2006 with a BA in English Literature. She enjoys yoga, listening to music, riding her bike in downtown Bellingham, and babysitting really cute kids.