Earth Hour 2019

What are you doing this Earth Hour which falls on the 30th March, 2019? Enthusiasts from right across the globe is invited to switch off their lights for just an hour from 20.30 to 21.30.  

This is a symbolic action that unites millions of people throughout the world to celebrate Earth Hour, which is a great opportunity to reflect on our environmental impact and renew our commitment to taking care of the world in which we live. 

This initiative has been introduced by the World-Wide Fund for Nature and is aimed at preventing and stopping the degradation of the natural environment of the Earth, encouraging us to build a future where people can live harmoniously alongside nature. 

It is important to remain conscious of the effect of our actions have and what they can do to the environment. Together we need to turn our inspiration of one hour into actions taken every hour of every day, all year round.  

There is a special power in the bold simplicity that Earth Hour brings to the table – a moment shared in darkness together, although as South Africans, we can all attest to the darkness during our load shedding episodes we so often experience that causes chaos in our lives on many levels. 

The beauty of Earth Hour is that everyone tries and gets involved, looking at ways to switch to a more sustainable existence far beyond Earth Hour. It is imperative that everyone aims towards becoming more energy efficient and try to invest in clean, renewable energy solutions. 

Take baby steps and start small – switch off the lights when you leave a room and unplug those silent energy-guzzlers that sap your energy such as television sets and phone chargers when they are not being used. Ensure all the globes in your home are energy-efficient and go one step further by installing solar panels and solar-heating geysers. 

More ways to save energy include making use of public transport, carpooling and walking and cycling wherever possible to cut back on the fumes that are emitted into the atmosphere. 

It is high time to make a difference by changing the way we think and ways to change our habits – especially how we use energy in a far more sustainable way, reaching beyond Earth Hour.