Earth Hour 2009

To some of our minds, climate change is still a far-fetched issue, way out of our grasp and way beyond our time. Even as we speak, people are getting trapped in poverty and hunger all over the world. Our generation is suffering, and climate change is trying to make us reflect upon the well-being of future generations. I don’t know if it’s a just cause, but I do know that we are genetically coded to be futuristic. After all, we do all we do in our life time, so our race could survive further, consciously or sub-consciously.

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Above is a glimpse into climate change. If you have ever been awestruck by the picturesque view from a hill top, been hypnotized by the turquoise blue of the sea, or simply marvelled at the sheer beauty of the evening sky, you know that our planet is worth saving. You can read more on CNN’s exclusive section Planet in Peril.

Earth Hour is an initiative by the WWF, that tries to urge each individual, household and organization to turn off the lights for one hour. The event was spearheaded by WWF Australia in 2007, and has since been adopted by almost 82 countries worldwide. Today’s aim is to get 1 billion people to embrace the dark for an hour, between 8:30 and 9:30 pm, local time.

On average, turning the lights off for an hour in a regular-sized city like Bangkok can decrease electricity usage by  165 mega-watts, which translates to nearly a 100 tonnes of carbon-dioxide, a gas believed to be a major contributor to global warming.

Apparently, during Earth Hour last year, Google turned its homepage black for an hour. The power consumption of organic LED monitors, though rarely used,  reduces on webpages with black backgrounds. Google’s tagline read,   “We’ve turned the lights out. Now it’s your turn – Earth Hour.”

Earth Hour seems to be pretty big in Singapore this year, from social media campaigning, to more traditional advertising on billboards and dedicated events. The city is always so illuminated that you can barely spot stars in the night sky; it will be interesting to see what it looks like in the dark.

Critics claim that the amount of energy and money spent in propogating Earth Hour, engaging volunteers, and garnering support and participation, will negate the amount saved during Earth Hour, if not exceed it. We need to understand though, that the initiative is more of a means to create awareness about climate change and our role in it.

Here’s some food for thought from WWF, Canada:

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Remember to turn off the lights tonight at 8:30 pm your time. Do it for our planet, for a nice candle-light dinner, or simply to reduce your electricity bill. Whatever your motivation, you could help save the world.

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race…

Shivya Nath

Welcome to my blog, The Shooting Star. I’ve been called a storyteller, writer, photographer, digital nomad, “sustainability influencer,” social entrepreneur, solo traveller, vegan, sustainable tourism consultant and environmentalist. But in my heart, I’m just a girl who believes that travel – if done right – has the power to change us and the world we live in.