On March 25 at 8:30 p.m. local time, millions of people around the world joined together to shine a light on climate change by turning off their lights for Earth Hour. Created by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour was launched in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, and in just one year grew from a single-city event into a global movement.
The Chinese rallied for a blue sky, Indonesians called for reduced use of plastic bags, Indians pushed for the use of solar energy, and Columbians called for sustainable transportation. According to the Earth Hour 2017 highlights, “An unprecedented 187 countries and territories took part, over 3,100 landmarks switched off their lights and millions of individuals, businesses and organizations across seven continents stepped forward to change climate change.”
So, what can Earth Hour really accomplish in just one hour?
This is probably one of the largest misconceptions surrounding the event: Earth Hour is about much more than that moment when the clock strikes 8.30 p.m. on a Saturday evening in March and the 60 minutes that follow. The “+” in the Earth Hour logo “60+” symbolizes climate action extending beyond the lights-out event. It is about impact, a global movement spanning the planet and powering millions of individual actions to accomplish tangible environmental goals.
Undoubtedly, there’s a profound visual statement when the Eiffel Tower and other iconic world landmarks go dark. But the Earth Hour movement is making very real and lasting differences across the planet. From fighting deforestation and providing access to renewable energy for people in India and the Philippines, to working with governments to provide subsidized solar power for residential use in Nepal, and even planting the world’s first Earth Hour forest in Uganda, widespread community action drives this crusade for positive change.
While Earth Hour has become the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment, it is far from alone in the fight against global warming. From fellow nongovernmental organizations ramping up climate change efforts to businesses like Google vowing to switch completely to renewable energy by the end of 2017 to countries like Nicaragua, which has pledged to achieve 75% renewable energy by 2017, Earth Hour is a way to bring us together, to take the climate action that our planet urgently needs.
By bridging the gap between policy and grassroots to make climate action understandable, relatable and accessible to all, Earth Hour is one of the easiest and best avenues for individuals to take their first steps to help reduce climate change. From reading stories and learning about the issues on the Earth Hour blog, to organizing activities such as tree planting and starting a petition to effect change, individuals have the power to be part of climate action and make a real difference for the environment.
Perhaps the most inspiring Earth Hour takeaway lies in the fact that this is a movement powered by individuals. The passion and the power achievable when we come together to build a brilliant tomorrow summons an undeniable force that will help us heal our planet.
By Heather Dixon, marketing coordinator, Inovateus Solar
