Earth Hour is usually held on the last Saturday of March every year (or at the previous Saturday if it falls on Holy Saturday), which is an interesting and very spectacular initiative to relive the environment. What it is this day exactly about?
Earth Hour is nothing more than the participants turn off the lights for an hour, demonstrating the importance of sustainable lifestyle, protecting nature and diversity. The mind behind the initiative is the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), who have been promoting this event since 2006 in the name of environmental awareness. In the first year, the movement started from Sydney, which resulted in a 10,2 % decrease in consumption of the city only during this one hour a year later. The goal on individual and social level is to perform an activity between 20:30 and 21:30 that symbolize the fight against overconsumption and climate change. This includes all individual or group commitments that bring us one step closer to a livable future, from turning off the lights at home, decommissioning electrical appliances, to pausing the city’s decorative lighting. Hungary joined Earth Hour in 2008, and this year almost most major cities are participating in the event.
Since 2011, the action has been supplemented with an appeal: WWF asked the population to make a one-year pledge to reduce consumption every year on Earth Hour, with which we try to slow down the rate of climate change. Every year in our country, the organizers come up with an effort related to the event, for example, 10 years ago, the collection of candles in the week before the date, from which the Candle of the Earth was formed, is also supplemented with other environmentally friendly programs, such as tree planting, meat-free day, water purification, or even organized walks around Budapest – fortunately, the list of initiatives is endless. In order to motivate, the Hungarian cities can compete for the title of Capital of Earth Hour on this day, which can be awarded to the city with the most participants each year.
According to the organizers’ position, this one hour is also about rest, and this year’s motto reflects this, “Give the Earth an hour!”. On their official website, you can find many ideas and organized programs with which you can do something for our planet from an aspect you like. How will you spend these 60 minutes on March 23 this year?