Imagine the power that turning off the power brings.
It will all certainly come to darkness (or light) this Saturday as residents in cities and towns around the globe will turn off their lights for one hour in the observance of the second Earth Hour.
From an idea generated in Sydney, Australia last March, Earth Hour has grown into an international celebration of the environmental importance of using less energy by turning out the lights.
This Saturday, March 29, between 8 and 9 p.m. local time a host of cities and towns across six continents will mark the second Earth hour with concerts, informal gatherings and planned activities all in darkness. In Canada, more than 60 cities are scheduled to take part and locally, Huron County residents are encouraged to participate in Earth Hour by turning out the lights and a special gathering “unplugged” has been planned at The Livery on South Street in Goderich.
Businesses and homeowners are encouraged to turn down out the lights for a single hour, darkening the environment where possible and as safety permits.
The idea is now gaining momentum around the world as citizens are encouraged to participate, ostensibly to raise awareness of climate change and demonstrate that by working together, people can make a difference.
And it will make a difference. It already has in that people are becoming increasingly aware, not only of Earth Hour, but of the positive results effected by collective will and execution.
Earth Hour is but a small step, a simple idea, to reduce the carbon footprint we all leave behind on the earth but it will also effectively demonstrate the impact of a single and simple change that we can all make.
It will be interesting to see if people can make this minute change in their lives and survive with less or no power through one hour on a weekend night. It will present some inconvenience, no question, but it will also present a meaningful moment to impact the world energy usage in a positive way.
Take the hour off. You owe it to the earth, to yourself and your children.
We are not used to getting along without the conveniences of energy and Earth Hour will present a powerful single act that will tangibly demonstrate that change is the first step to taking corrective action. We need to note that there is some urgency in taking corrective action by practicing environmental conservation. And while a single hour is by no means a panacea, it is a symbolic gesture. Even the mighty Niagara Falls will be shrouded in darkness this Saturday. Our collective future depends on it. So this Saturday, participate in Earth Hour, and enjoy the darkness. Or more to the point, enjoy the fact that you have taken the initiative to effect change and helped to slow the process of climate change.
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