At 8:30pm on March 24th millions of people across the world (yes, millions!) are turning off the lights for one hour to celebrate our shared home - Earth - and raise awareness about climate change during Earth Hour 2019. The lights-off event is coordinated by World Wildlife Fund (WWF event) and celebrated in more than 187 countries and territories. It's truly amazing.
Since Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, it has grown enormously as a grassroots movement, uniting people across different time zones for a worthy cause. As the lights go down, candles light up. The images are very cool.
Of course, the real power of Earth Hour 2019 is that it calls on each of us to act as global citizens of one planet… and that’s not something we do nearly enough of. To tackle a problem like climate change, we have to act together.
And Americans are doing just that. Last June we saw over 2,500 leaders in businesses and organizations across the U.S. come together to sign the We Are Still In declaration in support of the Paris Climate Agreement. This was huge. The 2015 Paris Agreement was the first real global effort to combat climate change, with goals set to keep warming to 1.5°C and reduce emission before 2020.
Prosperity Candle signed the We Are Still In declaration. As a social enterprise and certified B-Corp, we feel a deep responsibility to our shared environment and minimizing our carbon footprint. Always have.
Caring or not caring for our planet has huge impacts on the security of people around the world. Just look around. Worsening climate change is affecting the livelihood of millions of people. Extreme weather is compromising access to clean water and sustainable food for more and more communities, and rising sea levels are threatening towns and cities. It’s never been more apparent how our care for the environment reflects our care for people on the planet.
That's why we like Earth Hour 2019 so much. It symbolizes a worldwide commitment to protecting our environment and all those who live in it. In the words of the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour is about supporting a future “powered by clean, renewable energy, where communities and ecosystems are resilient in the face of climate challenges.”
The only way to ensure that future is to do it together. By turning off your lights tonight, you are joining a larger movement to combat climate change.
So join us for Earth Hour 2019! Start with something as simple as flicking off your light switch at 8:30pm for one hour. Maybe light a candle. Or just enjoy the dark. To make it fun, here are 9 things you can do while the lights are off and you #Connect2Earth:
1. Invite someone to a candle-lit dinner
2. Take a nap, no one will see you
3. Walk outside, look up, marvel
4. Tell tall tales around a fire
5. Give yoga by candlelight a try
6. Host an unplugged jam session
7. Read a scary story by candlelight
8. Gather friends for charades and such
9. Umm...romance!
Want more inspiration? Do this:
Google "Earth Hour candles" and click on image results
Visit We Are Still In
