Saturday, March 27, 2010

Earth Hour Saturday, 27 March 2010, 8.30pm


Less than nine hours to go here in Australia until Earth Hour. How exciting!

What’s that?
Earth Hour is an environmental initiative that started 3 years ago. In the first year more than 2 million homes and businesses in Sydney turned off their lights for one hour to stand against climate change. The word about this action spread quickly and the year after people and countries across the world took part. Last year it already was the world’s largest global climate change initiative.


Why I love it?
The reason, why I absolutely love this initiative, is that it is so powerful in its visibility. What is the NY skyline without lights? What is our life without lights? It really makes me think very carefully about how I use electricity and what can be done throughout the year (not only in this one short hour). After taking part in this initiative last year I finally installed energy efficient lights throughout my apartment. It was an insanely easy thing to do and I have no idea why it took me so long.

What I also like it that it brings people closer together. I have heard of neighbours getting together with their candles. Friends organising candle-lit parties. Although I haven’t managed it to organise something myself, I still want to make this event something special. So I am thinking of going to the beach and watch the city lights slowly go down. At least I hope that enough Melburnians will take part in this initiative so it will have a visual impact.


What to do?

Switch off all (electronic) lights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm! No matter where you are around the world: 8.30pm your local time. So no TV or computer lights allowed either. Lit the night with candles only.
Picture from here

Register your commitment here! That helps to show how many millions of people took part in this awesome event.


Enjoy the darkness! Hopefully you will be able to see lots of stars once the city lights have been turned off.
Picture from here

Take some photos of the light-less night! And share them with the rest of the world here .

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