Earth Hour 2011: Celebrate Lights Out Around The World

“Until a man duplicates a blade of grass, Nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge. Remedies from chemicals will never stand in favorable comparison with the products of Nature, the living cell of a plant, the final result of the rays of the sun, the mother of all life.” Thomas A. Edison

Earth Hour 2011: Celebrate Lights Out March 26, 2011 at 8:30pm

This Saturday, March 26, between the hours of 8:30pm-9:30pm, millions of concerned supporters in about 133 countries around the world will turn off their lights in honor of the global effort to highlight energy and environmental concerns. The initiative behind Earth Hour 2011 is to make millions more people aware of the need to sustain/protect our planet, cut greenhouse gas emissions, better manage our energy resources and combat climatic changes. This year, organizer Earth Hour.Org is encouraging all of us to go Beyond The Hour and consider ways to make a difference in our world; to use our 60 minutes of darkness to see the light. The event will include a MeetUp in cities globally.

Earth Hour 2011 is organized in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, and will mark the 5th annual observation of Earth Hour; an important event celebrated across the globe that harnesses the power of the collective to enact change. This positive effort by concerned citizens worldwide is a call to action to turn our lights off, or gather in major cities to watch the dimming of lights at famous sites. While some people have pooh-poohed the gesture as irrelevant or ineffective, the fact remains that we are living in a global crisis created by the excessive use and abuse of our energy and natural resources.

When the idea for Earth Hour was first conceived in 2007 in Australia, the organizers were eager to bring attention to a critical issue; climatic change. Since then, the gesture has spread around the world and we have all benefited by becoming better informed and conscientious energy users. So, whether you turn off any lights on Saturday night or are simply reminded to be a bit more conscious of your energy consumption in general, I say thank you!

VIRTUAL LANTERN

http://www.earthhour.org/kids/Lantern_frame.aspx

“The ultimate security is your understanding of reality.” H. Stanley Judd

Every year, during Earth Hour, I am comforted by the benevolence and determination of people, worldwide, to honor this important though symbolic gesture of wishing our planet well. Those who object to it forget that when each of us take a small step in the right direction to support our planet, our collective effort becomes a giant step taken for the survival of the species. It brings much needed awareness to a topic often reserved for scientists and bipartisan politicians. Until we all come to terms with the urgent need to reduce our collective carbon footprints and eliminate waste, we will continue to be culprits participating in the depletion of our resources and the destruction of our planet. This year, we are invited to go beyond the hour. 🙂

How Can I Go Beyond the Hour? World Wildlife Fund recommends that we:

• Pledge Our Support

• Join the Conservation Action Network

• Shop for Sustainable Products

• Think Energy Efficiency

• Take Action to Curb Climate Change

Earth Hour 2011: Bird’s Nest Dome during lights out in 2010

We can all make a difference tomorrow by doing our part; no matter how small. Start now! I am confident that, every year, just like the Earth Hour campaign has grown; we will all do a bit more. The energy legacy we leave behind on this planet is as important as the literary, scientific or artistic contributions we make to the world we now inhabit. Lights out at the Earth Hour 2011 event will be another opportunity to show we truly care about our magnificent planet; you, me and everyone else. My post was adapted from a previous entry for Earth Hour 2010.
What are you planning to do for Earth Hour on March 26th? What are your thoughts?

Positive Motivation Tip: Celebrate the sustainable earth by joining in the effort to conserve energy. Turn those lights out.

Related Articles

• Earth Hour 2011: Cities Around The World Go Dark Saturday (PHOTOS) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Earth hour 2011 (slowvelder.wordpress.com)
• Earth Hour (3ateeja.wordpress.com)
• Earth Hour 2011 (via TouchstoneZ) (imperfecthappiness.wordpress.com)

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo, video, slide-show of Earth Hour & Logo via Earth Hour.org and Wikipedia, Bird’s Nest Dome via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet