Lights out at 8:30pm y’all--it’s Earth Hour Day! It’s not so much a curfew as it is a brief pause, when you can disconnect from the hum and buzz of your surroundings.
What you do during Earth Hour is yours to decide. The goal is to let planet earth take a break for a moment. Why? Because the Earth has been taking a toll.
Think of the carbon we’re pumping into the atmosphere, the sprawl of cities, the loss of biodiversity and the mire of pollution Earth faces each day. If we can bring all of this into our collective awareness for even a short period of time, we can probably have a profound impact.
To celebrate Earth Hour, you should simply resolve to nix earth-squelching things from your life for an hour. This might be using electronics or driving your car. Trust me, it’s not much of a sacrifice in the grand scheme of things.
This fantastic event started in Sydney, Australia in 2007. It has captured the hearts and minds of people around the globe ever since, becoming the world’s largest earth celebration of its kind.
The sensory drama of the event occurs when the lights that shine on monumental buildings flicker out and there’s nothing but darkness all around. During Earth Hour lights have gone off at landmarks like the Empire State Building, Buckingham Palace, and the Sydney Opera House.
So, when the lights go out, you may be wondering how you should spend your time. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few ideas. Take them or leave them.
- Go for a walk in the park
This one’s pretty much a no-brainer. Add a little twist by making it a date or playing hide and go seek in the park.
- Organize a blind tasting event
The lights are going to be off, anyway! Take advantage of the situation and whip up some fantastic Vegan recipes to try out on guests.
- Play a board game or cards
So board games may not get you thinking about the environment, but it will help you pass the hour in an entertaining way.
- Write a love letter by candle-light
And please address your love letter to some aspect of earth you admire. You can write a love letter to forests or a love letter to starfish. You could even write a love letter to the stars.
- Gather with your friends for a device-less party
Honestly, though--this should be the rule for every party, except for one quick selfie opp. Friend don’t let friends eternally scroll.
- Play an acoustic musical instrument
If you can. Sing if you can’t. Or dance if you don’t want to sing. Or just quiet down for a minute and listen to all of the ambient noise around you. Which leads me to my next suggestion.
Maybe not for a full hour, but you can bracket your sesh with some yoga or diary reflections. It’s always a good idea to step back and reconnect with your life purpose through introspection.
Let us know how you end up celebrating in the comments! We’d love to hear your stories of Earth Hour done right!
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