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Our connection to the planet is undeniable. A healthy earth provides clean air, potable water, bountiful food, and is filled with biodiversity in plants and animals. But climate change is threatening our planet’s health.
That’s why people have to work together to save the earth. As in past years, Earth Hour gives us a chance to show why nature matters in the #Connect2Earth 2019 campaign on March 30.
Earth Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement that started as a symbolic lights out event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Now the annual event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) encourages people, communities, businesses, and countries to turn off non-essential lights from 8:30 to 9:30 pm (local time) to raise awareness of environmental issues and to encourage people to take action on the environment.
The world's important landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building in New York, Buckingham Palace in London, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris switch off their lights during Earth Hour. And you can switch off your lights in solidarity, too.
Last year, 188 countries participated, 17,900 landmarks and monuments turned off their lights, and more than 250 influential people joined the movement. The successes of the 2018 campaign spearheaded new climate change policies in Russia, Argentina, Ecuador, and Wales, a plastic ban in the Galapagos Islands, and the establishment of the world's first Earth Hour-protected forest in Uganda.
WWF reported that 90 percent of the people who participated in Earth Hour are inspired to do more to protect our planet.
What can you do for Earth Hour?
1. Turn Your Lights Off
Turn your lights off at home. This may be symbolic but use this time to appreciate the Earth and think about positive changes you can make to save the planet like turning off electric lights when they are not needed, using energy efficient light bulbs, shopping with a reusable grocery bag or cutting out single-use plastics.
2. Join a Lights Out Celebration Near You
In the UK, 400 landmark buildings including Buckingham Palace and Edinburgh Castle will be switching off for Earth Hour. You can use this map to find an event near you.
3. Light Candles
If you are indoors or outside, home with your family, friends or just by yourself, light candles to chase away the darkness. Have a romantic dinner by candlelight, play cards, or make chocolate fondue.
4. Take a Walk
Go outside and enjoy nature, star gaze, tune out of technology, or just relax when you walk. Walking also has some incredible health benefits so combine exercise and love of nature during Earth Hour.
5. Meditate
Use Earth Hour to meditate. Being able to relax your mind and enter into a deep state of meditation elevates moods and has a positive effect on your entire body. Try one of these five simple meditations or use your favorite method to inner peace.
6. Go to Bed Early
Use Earth Hour to go to Bed early and get more sleep. A good night's sleep is extremely important for your health and well-being. Earth Hour takes place on a Saturday night so you can sleep late too.
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