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Earth Hour is an annual event where participants turn off non-essential lights for an hour to raise awareness about wasted electricity. The event began in Sydney in 2007 and has since spread globally. Critics argue that the reduction in energy use during the hour is insignificant, but participants hope to encourage continued energy conservation throughout the year. The event promotes energy-efficient lighting and policies and is easy to organize. Attendees are reminded to only turn off non-essential lights and to use energy-efficient bulbs and appliances.
Earth Hour is an international event that takes place at the end of March every year. Earth Hour participants are encouraged to turn off all non-essential lights for one hour, starting at 8:00am. The event aims to draw attention to the issue of wasted electricity and to emphasize that small actions can make a significant difference in electricity consumption. Earth Hour also coincides with National Dark Sky Week in the United States, a week in which people take action against light pollution by turning off extraneous lights.
The first Earth Hour took place in Sydney, Australia in 2007. The event was sponsored by the Australian wing of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Sydney Morning Herald. During the event, demand on Australia’s electricity grid decreased by approximately 10%, representing a substantial decrease in the emissions created during electricity generation. In 2008 the event was repeated with cities from around the world, encouraging international participation.
Critics of Earth Hour argue that the reduction gained during the hour of darkness is insignificant. However, Earth Hour is a symbolic event. Participants point out that if people have made small conscious choices to reduce electricity use, these choices add up, and the hope is that Earth Hour participants will continue to reduce energy use throughout the year, not just during Earth Hour.
The event also promotes the use of energy efficient lighting and policies in businesses that encourage energy efficiency. Earth Hour’s goal is to connect people to global warming on an immediate level, showing them how they can make a difference. Participating in Earth Hour is very simple, making the event easy for communities that want to support to organize.
Earth Hour organizers remind attendees that only lights and non-essential appliances should be turned off during Earth Hour, and that people who feel the need to use candles should use products such as soy candles, which they do not produce harmful emissions. Lights and appliances that must be left on for safety reasons, such as night lights in parking lots, should not be turned off, although people are encouraged to use energy efficient light bulbs and appliances. In addition to helping preserve the environment, energy-efficient lights and appliances also save money.
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