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This year again I will be taking part in the ‘Earth Hour’, which happens this Saturday between 8.30 and 9.30. However, as I will be working, I have decided to get the restaurant where I work involved and I will be turning of the lights in the room for an hour. I’ve put up a poster to explain the reasons why I participate to this global event and I hope it will be welcome by customers.
There is much debate about the benefits of such an event. Of course, it is daily changes that really make a real difference and the ‘Earth Hour’ shouldn’t be seen as a way of clearing up one’s conscience. However, I believe that the ‘Earth Hour’ is a good way to pass on a message and also to become conscious about the fact that we can make a difference.
Last year, I was happy about what it had done for me. Indeed, I used the hour thinking about the changes I could make in my daily life in order to respect the environment a bit more. A year later, I’m glad to say that I have stuck to these little changes and I try to always do a bit more.
Now, if I participate to the event, it is more in a symbolic way, but also in order to convince other people to make these little changes that can make a difference.
There’s me walking to the shop with my little bag picking up rubbish on my way (this is my new little bit to make the world a better place). They are still building in the estate and one of the builders was there cleaning up his car. As you might expect he threw his bag of rubbish above the fence on the building site…
I couldn’t keep quiet obviously:
– Did you just throw a bag of rubbish?
– Ah! It will be buried tomorrow…
– That’s not the point and by then the wind will have blown it in the estate
– Go away!
– I LIVE HERE AND I WANT TO KEEP THE PLACE CLEAN!
Is it just a lost battle? I don’t know, but I’ll keep doing my little bits. Hopefully, next time he will be ready to throw a bag of rubbish, he will remember the mental girl and keep it until he gets home to put it in a bin.
I was telling you about the ‘earth hour’. Although the project is more about awareness, it might be interesting to see if it has made a difference.
In terms of electricity consumption, the ‘earth hour’ in Ireland can be considered a success since the electricity use dropped by 1.5%, as this RTE article highlights. Some businesses actually got involved in the event and I believe they are the ones who can make a difference. Hopefully next year will be even better. Most importantly though, it should help people realise that day to day savings can also make a difference for the environment. Little things add up…
On another level, I found that the ‘earth hour’ was real quality time. I was a bit extreme and even unplugged the fridge, as a result the place was in total silence. I found that it gave me time to enjoy deep thinking without the distractions of modern life, and it’s something I will now do on a regular basis. I was talking to someone who told me she got to know her children during this hour. She actually got to talk to them and discovered more about them. This says a lot about our modern life. It seems that we have actually lost touch with the important things of life, starting with people around us, because we are too distracted by the modern world. Maybe it’s about time to realise that we should slow down a bit!
Therefore, from personal experience, I think the ‘earth hour’ has been a success. I hope more people will become aware about the impact electricity (since in this case it is limited to that) has, not only on the environment, but on our lives. I’m not talking about regressing, but maybe about learning to reach a better balance.
An event taking place next Saturday was brought to my attention. It’s the ‘earth hour’. For one hour, turn off your lights and other electricity sources, and help doing a little something for the environment. It’s not much, but it could make a difference. Next Saturday, between 8pm and 9pm, I’ll be reading a book by candlelight. What will you be doing?
You can sign up for the ‘earth hour’ here.
