Earth Hour Tonight: 8:30--9:30 pm Your Time Zone

As mentioned in my last post, the 20th Anniversary of Earth Hour is upon us: tonight. Be inspired. Be present. Do something in that hour to give it planetary power through commitment, knowledge, thought, education, inspiration, stewardship. Be a part of something bigger than you.

What will you do tonight from 8:30-9:30 in your time zone?

Banner from https://www.earthhour.org/resources/brand-resource-center and video from https://youtu.be/AHhq1PtjANQ?si=D9357S36mKeoRNcZ

20th Anniversary Earth Hour ~ March 28, 2026: Choose Your Studio, Make Your Pledge

Earth Hour is March 2026, 8:30--9:30 pm in your time zone. This year commemorates the 20th Anniversary. What began as the inaugural event in 2007 in Sydney, Australia is now marking two decades as a global, environmental movement.

Earth Hour has always been about one powerful, symbolic act: "switching off the lights for 60 minutes to shine a spotlight on our planet." Over the past 20 years (and the last decade in particular), the call has grown bigger to“Give an Hour for Earth.” This call is to highlight that what we do in that one hour can ripple far beyond the glow of an hour of candlelight. 

This year, instead of treating Earth Hour as a one-size-fits-all event, imagine a Choose-Your-Studio Night. Plan and create a 60-minute creative adventure that begins by design and ends with a plan of attack, a creative commitment, and a pledge to go forward making a difference. 

Some studios to consider... pick one, mix or match, and simply find what fits to make the most of your Earth Hour.

The point is not to “do it all” in one night. The point is to start with an entry point that feels and sounds like you. To provide you with some time for reflectionn or creativity. To help you set a realistic pledge and intention. To inspire you to keep going!  

What studio will you choose? What's your pledge going to be? And what will you be doing during Earth Hour 2026?

Earth Hour image from https://x.com/earthhour; Slideshow created by me https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-2PcXE3vsn9dBjjQAGoN4A3hcHtI5qdFRLmnf3ccO-Y/edit?usp=sharing

Save the Date: Earth Hour 2025: March 22, 2025, 8:30--9:30 pm In Your Time Zone

2025 makes the 19th year of the global event Earth Hour. This annual, global event is organized by World Wildlife Fun, after starting in 2007 as a grassroots effort in Sydney, Australia. Last year marked the biggest one yet, with over 1.4 million supporters in over 80 countries and territories "banking" how they dedicated their hour spent. 

What to do:

Turn off all non-essential lights from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm in your local time. This is for everyone--individuals and businesses. Landmarks worldwide have even taken part in this light's out effort. See this video to see what landmark locations turned off during Earth Hour 2024. What are you going to do: play games by candlelight, go on night hikes, or sit with friends by a bonfire? These are all great ways to celebrate. Need more ideas? Check out the GTG archives!

Why it matters: 

Does one hour of lights out across the globe during one day make a substantial difference? No. However, it is a symbolic commitment to the planet. It is a global moment of unity. It sparks conversation. It raises awareness of energy consumption, promotes environmental sustainability (beyond just Earth Hour), and it serves as a way to advocate on behalf of nature.

 Earth Hour Resources:

• The About Page on the Earth Hour website leads you to lots of information about their history and why this hour matters.
• A History of Earth Hour Milestones Timeline
• Their Give an Hour for Earth inspiration page of ideas about what you can do to spend your time in a meaningful way.
• Earth Hour for Youth--including Education packs and other resources for families and teachers.
• "Up Your Knowledge" with learning links to find out more about environmental issues.
• WWF's Earth Hour website and resources
• Take part in Challenge 60--where you give multiple hours to move us forward!

Video from https://youtu.be/kov2a3XRLyE?si=bhVFcPwQJ8ZA03eT, Image from https://www.earthhour.org.au/event/switch-off-2025/supporter-tools

Earth Hour Is Here: Tonight, March 23 ~ 8:30 -- 9:30 pm

What are you doing tonight, Saturday, March 23 from 8:30-9:30 pm?

Earth Hour is here, during that hour, in your time zone. 

Want to learn more--check out my recent post on Earth Hour.

Best part of being a part of Earth Hour is the highlight of how important one set 60 minutes for one person is when it is multiplied out by hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, globally. It shows the importance of the act of one to make a difference and highlight the importance of our planet. 

Timing really is perfect this year, the day after the annual United Nations Environmental holiday World Water Day--a day highlighting how important it is for people worldwide to have access to clean water. Maybe even paying attention to your water consumption today is a great way to start honoring Earth Hour!

If you are looking for ideas on what to do for you, your family, or your kids, check out these ideas, all from my 2018 Earth Hour post:

• Stock up on candles and light them up as you knock out all your other lights at 8:30 pm.
• Unplug and have some good ole fashioned non-tech time.
• Play a game of night time Hide & Seek.
• Have a candlelight dinner... perhaps al fresco.
• Roast some marshmallows over a bonfire with good friends.
• Take a moonlit stroll.
• Spend some time in reflection and meditation.
• Play board games with your family by flashlight.
• Go stargazing.
• Take a night hike.
• Tell ghost stories.
• Take time having great conversations and quality time with someone you love.
• ...the sky is the limit! Create your own fun! 

Additionally, you can check out the resource over at Earthhour.org:

• Earth Hour's "Give an Hour for Earth" resource bank--lots of great ideas are listed here and you can click through to find things that are in your passion-sphere and wheelhouse.

• Spend your hour learning more either through their fiveEarth Hour Webinars or their page: I Want to Learn More About: Nature Loss & Biodiversity, Climate Change, or the Solutions & How to Help 

• Earth Hour Education Pack--download some kid-friendly ideas to get the whole family involved.

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAPJ4IEs_EY, image from https://www.3blmedia.com/news/earth-hour-2024-wwf-give-hour-earth

Earth Hour 2024 Is On It's Way--Mark Your Calendar for March 23

Earth Hour is one of my favorite "environmental days."

This year is our 18th one, and I've been writing about it for a lot of those years.

By turning off your lights and/or doing something during the hours of 8:30 to 9:30 pm in your time zone on this Saturday, March 23, you can place a vote toward the betterment of our planet.

To learn more, check out any of the links above, watch the video below, or click on Earth Hour's "About" page.

What can you do to take part in Earth Hour this year? Need help deciding....Earth Hour's links can help:

• Give an Hour For the Earth
• Engage in Your Community
• Earth Hour For Youth
• Learn About the Issues

Video from https://youtu.be/HeX1h24ntZY?si=tMIVngqqs-jiiIeZ, logo from https://www.earthhour.org/

Earth Hour: March 25, 2023 ~ Lights Out 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm

As the perfect follow up to Wednesday's World Water day... tonight is Earth Hour. 

As a global wave rolling over the planet, spend the hour from 8:30 to 9:30 pm (during your local time) by flipping off your lights and doing something positive for the planet. 

From its inception in 2007, Earth Hour continues to grow and inspire others to learn about, care for, and take action for our planet. Much like I mentioned in my World Water Day post, we are falling off course the planned 2030 trajectory of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Earth Hour's focus is on Goal Number 13: "Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts" and Goal Number 15: "Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss." Seeing it as such, the Earth Hour organization is stepping up their campaign and the sense of urgency to reach the 2030 goals. 

When 190 countries have traditionally been involved in Earth Hour, that is a lot of power for the positive if that hour is spent doing something for our planet! Global unity at its finest...which is important when we all share the same planet! Not to mention, it is a great way to celebrate the power of people.

Not sure what to do for Earth Hour.... check out a variety of resources on their website:

• Give an hour for earth--inspiration is here for you for the categories of "learn more about our planet," "reconnect with our planet," "restore our planet," and "inspire others to care about our planet"... and ideas that you can do for each in under an hour, exactly an hour, or over an hour.

• Go beyond the hour--here are 10 ways you can continue to "go green" and impact our planet in a positive way.

• Attend an event--see if there's one near you or a virtual one you can attend.

• Check out their timeline of milestones over the years.

• Read more about their mission & values.

• Learn about the issues of nature loss & biodiversity, climate change, and solutions/how to help.

• Grab hold of some of their marketing materials to use on social media.

How can you use the positive power of your hour to make a difference and be part of something bigger than you?

Screenshot of https://www.earthhour.org/, video from https://youtu.be/niZ54wV6QdE, logo from their media packets available at https://www.earthhour.org/take-part/engage-your-community/marketing-materials?hsCtaTracking=042ea7f8-544b-44ef-895a-c4b7b89ccb97%7C07a8a455-6bb7-470e-ac98-53e5acb3747c

Earth Hour 2022 Tonight: Sat., March 26th 8:30-9:30 pm

With #ShapeOurFuture as the 2022 theme, Earth Hour is tonight. By tuning off lights along with other nonessential lights from 8:30-9:30 pm tonight [Saturday, March 26th], you can take part of sharing with the collective, community vision of unifying for the planet.

For ideas of what to do during your hour of "lights out," check out EarthHour.org's "1 Special Hour, 7 Meaningful Ways to Spend It" (there are some GREAT activities listed here) as well as these past GTG posts: 

• 
  Earth Hour 2022: March 26th @ 8:30pm
  
• Earth Hour Tonight & "You're The Voice"
  
• Earth Hour 2018
  

Additionally, you can browse Earth Hour events over at earthhour.org.

Looking for more ways to take part beyond the 60 minutes? Check out go EarthHour.org's "Going Beyond the Hour."

Hashtags to follow on social media: 

• #ShapeOur Future    
• #Connect2Earth    
• #EarthHour    
• #EarthHour2022     
• #OnlyOneEarth

What are you doing tonight to turn off your lights and take part?

Image from https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/earth-hour-and-its-significance.php and https://www.earthhour.org/take-part/organise-an-event/marketing-materials, video from https://www.facebook.com/earthhour/videos/762790861791472/

Earth Hour 2022: March 26th @ 8:30pm

10 days from now it will be the 16th annual Earth Hour. What started in 2007 as a local event in Sydney, Australia has now become a worldwide, global event that happens in your time zone, on the 4th Saturday of March from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. During that time, individuals and businesses are encouraged to turn off all non-essential lights for that hour to symbolize our collective commitment to the planet. By clicking those lights off, it shines a spotlight on the importance of every person and their ability to take action and make a difference. Likewise, it draws attention to our global energy consumption and how that affects climate change.

For a timeline of milestones from 2007 to today, ways to take part where you are, and why 2022 is so important, check out Earth Hour's website or WWF's Earth Hour site. Likewise, you can check out Green Team Gazette's Earth Hour archives.

Wondering what you can do to fill your evening--here are some good ideas, all from my 2018 Earth Hour post:

• Stock up on candles and light them up as you knock out all your other lights at 8:30 pm.
• Unplug and have some good ole fashioned non-tech time.
• Play a game of night time Hide & Seek.
• Have a candlelight dinner... perhaps al fresco.
• Roast some marshmallows over a bonfire with good friends.
• Take a moonlit stroll.
• Spend some time in reflection and meditation.
• Play board games with your family by flashlight.
• Go stargazing.
• Take a night hike.
• Tell ghost stories.
• Take time having great conversations and quality time with someone you love.
• ...the sky is the limit! Create your own fun! Let me know what you are planning to do!

Video from https://youtu.be/rL5GSYBIsPk

Earth Hour Tonight & "You're The Voice"

"You're The Voice" is perfectly named for this anthem, put together by the group 1 Million Women. Although it was released in 2015, it may not be something you have seen before. 

Sharing it here during March & Women's History Month & on the day of Earth Hour is also well-timed. So many times throughout the course of history, women's voices have been silenced. Yet here, it serves as the perfect foil--countering the silence and being the voice of change, climate action, hope, and leadership.

It also is the perfect anthem for Earth Hour, a long-standing, environmental and global grassroots movement dating back to 2007. Make your voice heard tonight, Saturday, March 27th from 8:30--9:30 in your time zone by turning out your lights. Also, be sure on the 27th to check out Earth Hour's virtual spotlight. To learn more, check out my previous GTG post from 3/20/2021.

Earth Hour's Virtual Spotlight Video: Share it forward!

Image created on canva.com and Video from https://youtu.be/7-3FuApUbnc and https://youtu.be/hvBsgfn_cvY

Earth Hour: March 27, 2021 @ 8:30-9:30 pm

A week from today, next Saturday, March 27th, is Earth Hour. This has been one of my go-to annual events. Since 2007, starting solo in Sydney, Australia, then going global, lights go out locally the last Saturday of March from 8:30-9:30 pm in your time zone. 

Like "the wave" this time-zone-centric "lights out" approach helps bring an awareness to climate change. 

As with just about everything else this last year has had to adapt and change in their approach. Gatherings couldn't happen last year for Earth Hour, so instead, it went online and you could go to a "candle'ed approach" to Earth Hour in your own homes.

This year too, innovation must prevail. Earth Hour 2021 inspires everyone to still click off your lights for that hour, but then also to go online and take action to spotlight our planet, making this year's Earth Hour their first "Virtual Spotlight." So just in the past the spotlight was on turning off the streets, building, landmarks, and more to draw attention to climate change, this year, that awareness will be highlighted online with a social media blitz. The goal, to flood the Internet with their Earth Hour video they'll be posting on all of their social media pages. Share it forward and spotlight the importance of Earth Hour and planet Earth by posting, re-tweeting, emailing, DM-ing, and more on all of your social media platforms. Their goal....to make it the most watched, most trending video of the day, passing the message far and wide.

Where will you find this Earth Hour Virtual Spotlight video?  

All of the following next Saturday, on March 27th:

• Earth Hour's website, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter pages.
• And here at Green Team Gazette and my Facebook & Twitter pages.

Images from https://www.earthhour.org/take-part and https://www.instagram.com/earthhourofficial/

Digital & Lights Out Earth Hour 2020 Tonight! 8:30-9:30 pm Your Time Zone

As I wrote about earlier in the month, Earth Hour is an annual event to unite people globally to take action on environmental issues. Typically, it's the 4th Sunday in March, shutting off non-essential lights in your time zone from 8:30-9:30 pm... acting like a virtual wave around the planet of activism and momentum.

This year, as our lives and ability to move about seem to change daily in order to protect lives against the ever-moving Coronavirus, Earth Hour (just like everything else) seems topsy turvy and semi-upside down. 

Some question why World Wildlife Fund doesn't just cancel it--especially in the middle of a global health crisis. On their FAQ page, they argue that now, more than ever, is a time to stand together:

"Earth Hour 2020 is more than a symbolic event, it is a global environmental movement to stop the destruction of nature on which our health, happiness and future prosperity depends. Nature is the planet’s life support system and gives us everything we need; from the air we breathe, the water we drink, to the food we eat. The link between nature and good health has been well documented. Even spending two hours a week in nature is known to lead to better health. Nature underpins our life, health and well-being but it is in a crisis! Now is not the time to pause our collective work, but a time to respond more creatively, work more collaboratively, and listen and adapt more effectively."

To counter the health risks of coming together for any kind of Earth Hour event, the global organizing team is promoting people to celebrate it either at home or digitally this year. 

In truth, it started as a grassroots movement doing just this, so celebrating at home is not different to what most people have done in the past.  Here are some things you can do at home:

• Definitely read Earth Hour's blog post about 20 things to do from the comfort of your own home. My favorites start with turning out those lights and doing things like playing board games by candlelights, embarking on some backyard camping, and diving into a glowstick scavenger hunt. There are lots of links inside the post and its a perfect place to get loads of ideas.

• Check out previous lists of GTG's to see even more brainstorms as to fill your lights-out hour.

• Order & read the new book out by Nanette Heffernan: "Earth Hour: A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet."

Digitally, you can do the following:

• Add your name to "Voice for the Planet" petition.

• Watch some of the Earth Hour livestreams.

• Spread the word on your social media platforms.

• Learn more about the issues by watching David Attenborough's "How to Save Our Planet."

• Make your voice heard via these hashtags: #Connect2Earth and #EarthHour.

As we all are feeling very isolated here in the era of COVID-19, it's going to feel good to be part of a community, a part of a global movement, a part of something bigger than ourselves.  I'd love to hear what you did to celebrate Earth Hour 2020 this year!

Images from https://www.greenroofs.com/event/earth-hour-2020/ and https://parklife.birchwoodpark.co.uk/news/earth-hour-2020-connect-to-earth/ and screenshot from Screenshot from https://www.earthhour.org; book cover from Amazon.com

Mark Your Calendars: March 28th is Earth Hour

Recently I got a Shutterfly email of my photo memories from 13 years ago. (Shutterfly is a photo storage service.) The first photo was a family birthday picture at a family birthday party with all the cousins and grandparents. While 2007 doesn't sound like that long ago, the li'l ones' faces (who are now not so li'l) in the photo told a different story.

The reason I mention this? 13 years ago, 2007, was the year of the first Earth Hour.

Earth Hour started in 2007 as a grassroots movement in Sydney, Australia. Not something that was even on my radar 13 years ago. But now over time, just like my kids and their cousins in that photo, Earth Hour has grown and blossomed. It has now become one of the largest environmental grassroots movements. People in over 180 countries and territories turned out their lights for one hour as a symbolic gesture to make a visual impact of how we all can make a difference.

To take part, it only involves switching off your light switch, at you own home, on Saturday, March 28. Mark you calendar. That night, turn off all non-essential lights from 8:30-9:30 pm in your time zone as a wave of darkness will travel across the globe. Of course you could always take part in a bigger event too, which is great if you are searching out community. But it just goes to show you how much you can be a part of something bigger than yourself even by only doing this one action at home. It's a great way for you and your family to "unplug" too and get a little meaningful time off tech!

The power of one, multiplied out numbers times, makes a world of difference. Symbolically & literally.

To learn more about Earth Hour:

• Check out the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour site & discover how you can take part or find an event near you.
• Visit the GTG archives for past Earth Hour posts
• Watch their official 2020 video here:

Video from https://youtu.be/eOGWsOEE710, Screenshot from https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/earth-hour

5 Decades of Environmentalism: 1969--2019

By the time the first earth day circled 'round in April of 1970, I was just about to hit my 6-month birthday. Needless to say, I don’t remember much about it and I was far too little to hug my first tree.

In honor of my 50 years on this planet, I wanted to celebrate 50 of some of the biggest environmental moments of the last 5 decades. What better way than with an infographic.

Infographic created using canva.com   Data from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/earth-days-modern-environmental-movement/; https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/environmental-victories-in-photos/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_history_of_environmentalism; http://environmentalhistory.org; https://www.preceden.com/timelines/165371-major-events-in-the-environmental-movement; https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2018/12/year-climate-progress-top-5-environmental-victories-2018/

Earth Hour Tonight: March 30th 8:30--9:30 pm Your Time Zone

Tonight is the night to turn off our lights. Only for an hour. Earth Hour 2019.

March 30th, 8:30--9:30 in your own time zone.

Are you planning a bonfire, a picnic (either by candlelight in your living room or in your back yard), or a night hike? A board game or a candlit dinner party? An artsy event or time in meditation?  Unplugging and observing nature, or just going to bed early?

Whatever you do, turn off those non-essential lights (porch & patio lights too) to be a part of this global movement. Doing so shows your commitment to our planet, your fight against climate change, and your desire to take action. To learn more, click here.

I'll be taking part, will you?


Images from https://www.earthreminder.com/earth-hour-2019/ and
Video from https://youtu.be/wKwhuQ9bmIE

Earth Hour 2019

Earth Hour is around the bend-- just over 2 weeks away! It's one of my favorite "environmental holidays." Why?

1. I love the grass roots growth element of it.

2. I'm energized by its expansion over time, from Sydney, Australia alone in 2007 to an exponential fire burst of every country being involved in just a few short years--most recently, over 180 of the 195 world countries and territories.

3. It's like a virtual "wave" across the globe, in your time zone on Saturday, March 30th, from 8:30-9:30 pm, where your lights go out and you keep passing the (extinguished) torch! In doing so, you are messaging the world that climate change and our planet Earth are important!

4. You can make a small yet powerful statement in your time zone, giving an hour to "unplug," which then ties to the tech-side of GTG.

5. It's a positive event. A non-partisan, taking-action kind of way of raising awareness. You can do it it a big or small way, and be part of a global movement. This feels good, making your voice heard.

6. I've been taking part in Earth Hour since the 3rd one, in 2009 (including speaking to the Maryland House of Delegates Health & Government Operations Committee in 2011. By this point, it's now a time-honored tradition!!

Earth Hour has a slew of resources--here are some handy links to help you out.

• Earth Hour: What Is Earth Hour
• World Wildlife Fund: Earth Hour
• Earth Hour: Info & Take Part
• Earth Hour: Educators Information Booklet
• Earth Hour: Youth Groups Information Booklets
• Earth Hour: Toolkits
• Earth Hour Digital Posters
• Earth Hour: Map
• Earth Hour: Connect2Earth Stories
• Earth Hour: Cities 
• Earth Hour: Businesses
• Earth Hour: Event Organizers
• Earth Hour: Hotels

Looking at the latest reports over the last few months, general consensus puts us at a dozen years away from being at the tipping point. (Need to verify that stat? Check out these resources on climate change to verify why it is indeed important):

The Guardian (10-8-18): "We have 12 Years to Limit Climate Change Catastrophe, Warn UN"

The Guardian (10-8-18): "Overwhelmed by climate change? Here's what you can do"

The New York Times (2-14-19): Skipping School to Save the Earth (March 15th is the next school skip day)

The Guardian (3-4-19): "Adults Failed to Take Climate Action: Meet the Young Activists Stepping 

Up"

Ocean Leadership (11-13-14): "Effects of Climate Change ‘Irreversible,’ U.N. Panel Warns in 

Report"

Earth Hour banner and poster from https://www.earthhour.org/, video from https://youtu.be/wQ6S-pkbgB0

Tonight's The Night! Earth Hour 2018: #Connect2Earth

Tonight's the night ~ Earth Hour 2018! 

Lights out from 8:30--9:30 pm in your time zone.

Take a stance and make a stand for our Earth, our environment! 

Be a part of the millions of people, businesses, & landmarks

 to shine a light by going dark!

Check out my previous post for specifics on Earth Hour. (and some ideas for how to spend your hour switched off and unplugged). Additionally, watch this video to #Connect2Earth and keep the conversation going after your dark part of Earth Hour!



Logo from https://www.earthhour.org/ Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr1rC6Dut-U

Earth Hour 2018

Mark your calendar for Earth Hour 2018

This Saturday, March 24th 8:30--9:30 pm

Turn off your lights in your time zone to be a part of the global movement for sustainability.

Earth Hour is one of my annual favorite eco-holidays. I've been participating and writing about Earth Hour since 2009...which would make this our 10th year (out of World Wildlife Fund's 12 years of Earth Hour). I like that it's a way of purposeful taking part in something bigger than ourselves--uniting people to emphasize the importance of protecting the planet. Additionally, it's a way of purposefully unplugging for an hour. Yes, we can do it--and if you look at everyone making small steps simultaneously, then you start to see the depth of that impact in a big way.

This video gives an insight as to what Earth Hour is all about and why you want to participate by turning off your lights.



Go to Earth Hour's website to learn more, get their marketing logos & banners, check out their blog, and download their toolkits for communities/organizations, schools, scouts, individuals, corporations, and hotels.

What are you going to do for Earth Hour?

If you're not sure, try out one of these ideas:

• Send the video and web site www.earthhour.org around to your family & friends and pass the word to #Connect2Earth!
• Stock up on candles and light them up as you knock out all your other lights at 8:30 pm.
• Unplug and have some good ole fashioned non-tech time.
• Play a game of night time Hide & Seek.
• Have a candlelight dinner... perhaps al fresco.
• Roast some marshmallows over a bonfire with good friends.
• Take a moonlit stroll.
• Spend some time in reflection and meditation.
• Play board games with your family by flashlight.
• Go stargazing.
• Take a night hike.
• Tell ghost stories.
• Take time having great conversations and quality time with someone you love.
• ...the sky is the limit! Create your own fun! Let me know what you are planning to do!



Earth Hour 2017 Statistics

Earth Hour Logo and images from https://www.earthhour.org/

#EarthHour 2017, Recap

This was the view at my house, from 8:30--9:30 last night, during Earth Hour.

We had a few friends and family members over... along with pizza, adult beverages, a backyard bonfire, mood lighting, an in-the-dark soccer game with my two kids and the dog, and merriment for all. I was proud to have celebrated every year since 2009 when I first learned of it.

World-wide, here's what it looked like:

And here's what the last 10 years have looked like. Happy 10th Anniversary, Earth Hour. It was celebrated at my house, and across the world. Glad I could be a part of something bigger than myself, and I feel like I'm raising a glass to our planet in an important way! It feels like now, more than ever, we need to take part and do our part. I'm so glad we did in my world for the 9th consecutive year, and I will do so again, next year: Saturday, March 24, 2018, from 8:30--9:30 pm!



Image from my camera (collage created using Li-Pix), infographic from https://www.earthhour.org/2017-highlights, video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZp4LX4AYnM

Earth Hour 2017: Tonight No Lights from 8:30--9:30 pm

Tonight is the night. The night of no lights from 8:30--9:30pm. Why? It's Earth Hour! In case you missed it, check out last week's post to learn more and get some good ideas on what you can do tonight to shed some light the #ChangeClimateChange.

The video below will help serve as a little inspiration as to why caring for our environment, believing in climate change, and fighting for the EPA is important, despite what American leaders these days may be saying.

Go forth in darkness tonight, and be a part of something bigger than yourself.  It's a great way to give a giant hug to our planet!  Can we break last year's record breaking participation of 178 countries & territories (including the International Space Station) that participated?

 



Earth Hour images from https://www.earthhour.org/EarthHourReports; Video from http://earthhour.org/celebrate-earth-hour

Lights Out for Earth Hour 2017

Writing about & planning my own personal Earth Hour is an annual tradition since 2009.  With it being only a week away, it's time to ring that traditional bell!

This year's Earth Hour is Saturday, March 25th from 8:30--9:30 pm in your time zone. It marks the 10 (or really, would that be 11?) year anniversary since the first Earth Hour in 2007, celebrated in Sydney, Australia alone. From there it has grown, to become a global event, a virtual crowd-wave of diminished lights to show the number of people, communities, nations, and world landmarks that want to "shine a light on climate action" by going dark from that hour in their own time zones.

To learn more about Earth Hour, check out their website to zoom into these specifics to be "enlightened!"

• Sign up & get ideas on how to celebrate.
• Learn more about "Changing Climate Change" at WWF: World Wide Fund For Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund).
• Ideas on how to "take action" & share the action you've taken.
• Read the 2016 Earth Hour Report.
• Watch the video below to be inspired to take part by turning off your lights.

If you are looking for unique ways to celebrate Earth Hour in a way that speaks to you, check out these two resources:

• WWF's 2016 post: "Earth Hour 2016: 7 Things To Do in the Dark"
• Treehugger's 2008 post: "60 Things to Do During Earth Hour"

However you celebrate it, I'd love to hear about how you took action and were part of the movement to #ChangeClimateChange. Please share your plans in the comments below!




Earth Hour images from http://www.earthhour.org/; Video #1 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw7EenLAdrA;