BY HARNOOR GILL
Grade 11 student
Christ The King Catholic Secondary
Georgetown, Ontario
Every year there is an awareness campaign held for the preservation of our one and only planet Earth during March – a movement that has created massive improvement around the world known as Earth Hour and this year’s worldwide campaign will occur on March 28 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. local time. During these 60 minutes, everyone around the world will be turning their lights off for an hour in order to raise awareness about climate change. This amazing cause has grown to more than 162 countries worldwide where everyone believes that it is time to conserve and protect the environment. Canada happens to be one of the 162 countries that participate in this event annually and the Peace Welcome Club (PWC) is promoting this cause at the local level as well.
PWC has already started to launch a campaign dedicated to the promotion and awareness of Earth Hour in March. The campaign is titled, “Support Lights-Off on Earth Hour 2015” and PWC has brought forth information to the community about contributing to Earth Hour’s campaign leading to that special hour. As an advocate for the environment as well as an individual that has a deep passion for it, I have set out one goal and this is to rally more people together for this event than last year. There are many activities that can be undertaken during the hour. Some of my favourites include going for a nighttime city walk, stargazing, and taking a wildlife walk or even playing board games with friends with candle lights.
However, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) which is the organization behind Earth Hour has stated that it is not only about the one hour where we stand up for climate change. Every hour of the day should be dedicated to protecting the environment whether it may be conserving energy, stopping littering or going for a bike ride instead of taking the car. They can all help reduce the carbon footprint on the Earth. It is time to protect those resources that are near and dear to use in the world and we must remember that we only really have one planet. WWF and its sponsors have raised awareness on natural causes around the world and the harm that these wonderful things are experiencing. These range from the planting of trees in Uganda’s Earth Hour forest, campaigning to stop the use of coal power in Greece, protecting the Amazon Forest and, most of all, saving the Great Barrier Reef.
If every person can do their part no matter how big or small and with hundreds of millions of people around the world that can come together for an iconic purpose, I then believe that climate change can be controlled in this generation.
Support Lights-Off on Earth Hour 2015 – https://www.facebook.com/events/363188857193684/?ref=98
Read – http://blog.wwf.ca/blog/2012/04/03/let%E2%80%99s-make-every-hour-earth-hour/
