Mishall RehmanIt’s a symbolic gesture, but its ramifications could have a lasting impact on saving the planet.
Earth Hour 2019 is almost upon us and, as in years prior, individuals, businesses and landmarks will all switch off their lights for one hour this Saturday, March 30 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
An initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney and now has grown exponentially around the world. The broader aim of Earth Hour is to advocate for the planet and inspire grassroots efforts to make concrete changes to save the planet, such as pushing for environmentally friendly laws.
Many organizations, schools, and businesses even host events for Earth Hour, centred around awareness and advocacy.
This year’s campaign this year is #Connect2Earth to build awareness on why nature matters and to inspire global action on conserving nature.
“On one hand we have the moral responsibility to live in harmony with nature, on the other nature is vitally important to everyone’s daily lives; we depend on it for the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink, and so much more. But we are pushing the planet to the limit and nature is severely under threat.
“Earth Hour 2019 is a powerful opportunity to start an unstoppable movement for nature to help secure an international commitment to stop and reverse the loss of nature – a New Deal for Nature and People as comprehensive and ambitious as the global climate deal,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International.
According to a WWF press release, the Earth Hour movement has “helped create a 3.5 million hectare marine-protected area in Argentina and a 2,700-hectare Earth Hour forest in Uganda, ban all plastics in the Galapagos in 2014, plant 17 million trees in Kazakhstan, light up homes with solar power in India and the Philippines and push new legislation for the protection of seas and forests in Russia. Just last year, French Polynesia moved to protect 5 million square kilometres of its seas to preserve ocean ecosystems.”
For more information or to check out any Earth Hour events near you click here.
