Earth Hour, celebrated globally every March 30, is a worldwide environmental movement of WWF, aimed at inspiring and empowering individuals, businesses, organizations, and governments to take tangible action for the planet. It has grown from a symbolic event in Sydney 2007 to the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement spanning over 7,000 cities and 180 countries and territories. As the movement grows, the one-hour lights-out event continues to be the symbol of a broader commitment toward the planet. The core message of Earth Hour lies in going Beyond the Hour.
Here are some Beyond the Hour outcomes in the Philippines:
- The deployment of portable solar lamps to replace dangerous and dirty kerosene lamps in Palawan and Mindoro.
- The sharing of best practices for communities via the One Planet City Challenge.
- The dissemination of climate change solutions via environmental education sessions, training modules, heavy media engagements, and talks.
- Human activity undermining nature’s ability to support humanity Over recent decades, human activity has also severely impacted the habitats and natural resources wildlife and humanity depend on such as oceans, forests, coral reefs, wetlands and mangroves. 20 per cent of the Amazon has disappeared in just 50 years while the earth is estimated to have lost about half of its shallow water corals in the past 30 years.
- While highlighting the extent and impact of human activity on nature, the Living Planet Report 2018also focuses on the importance and value of nature to people’s health and well-being and that of our societies and economies. Globally, nature provides services worth around US$125 trillion a year, while also helping ensure the supply of fresh air, clean water, food, energy, medicines and other products and materials.
Earth hour is an opportunity for 120 million people all around the world to take part in Earth hour and show their support for climate change. By switching off your lights for one hour, you can make a substantial difference in the energy consumption and can help reduce effect of global warming on this planet.
Sources:
https://www.earthhour.org/blog/nothing-natural-about-nature%E2%80%99s-steep-decline-wwf-report-reveals-staggering-extent-human-impact
https://wwf.org.ph/what-we-do/climate/earth-hour/
