Earth Hour

“So the world goes into a standstill?” 16 year old Maya Bhangoo from Windermere says. Yes, this 27^th, residents all over the world will give up an hour for the planet. It’s funny when I visualize, say, a light bulb – earth, come 8:30 I see it dimming and click! It goes off, just a black dot hanging around in the universe.

Earth hour was founded by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2007. Since then over 88 countries have participated with more to come this year. Sidney had started this tradition and from then on numerous countries have chosen to participate.

Just take some time out of your hectic day and walk around your home. What can you turn off without affecting yourself too much? What can you do to remind yourself to turn off the lights? It’s just an hour of your time. I myself have participated in this event since only last year. Until then I had not heard of its existence. But what I did was, tell all my friends about it, since that time, they’ve forgotten and I have just reminded them. If you can’t make the sacrifice of just an hour (which I am sure you can), tell someone else to do so.

But what they asked me was why, and what do I do in that hour? Well I’ve compiled a list of things for you to do in that small span of time:

1. Light a Candle (or several)
   
2. Read a scary book under Candle light (trust me that’s fun)
   
3. Have a conversation about ________(anything is fine)
   
4. Dinner under Candle Light
   
5. Sing songs
   
6. Walk the Dog (or cat)
   
7. Eat some food
   
8. Play an instrument
   
9. Listen to music
   
10. Candle lighted board games
    
11. Tell scary stories
    
12. Tell Jokes
    
13. Play hide and seek
    
14. Sleep
    
15. Go for a walk
    
16. Meditate
    
17. Draw under candle light
    
18. Play Cards under candle light
    

If turning off your lights for an hour didn’t excite you in anyway, I hope that did. Hopefully some time away from technology does some good. I know exactly because more than half of that list, not during Earth hour, I’ve done. It something more than just one hour, it’s unity for us and a benefit for the world’s climate.

350 : The Invitation

From 350.org

THE INVITATION Dear World— This is an invitation to build a movement—to take one day and use it to stop the climate crisis. We are a group of people from around the planet—young and old, scientists and writers and activists—who have one thing in common. We know the most important number on earth: 350. And we know how to use that number to finally get global action on the worst crisis humans have ever faced. But we can only do it if you help. (Read the rest of the invitation...)

Encouraged by the incredible enthusiasm which made September 21st's Global Wake Up Call a tremendous success, 350.org and citizens from around the world want to invite you to make your concerns about climate change known--loudly, dramatically, creatively, resoundingly--this Saturday, October 24th, on the International Day of Climate Action.

With approximately 5 days to go, over 3,500 actions or events from 161 countries have been registered with 350.org, including an event organized by Vancouver's own Bridge to a Cool Planet. If you've decided not to host your own event, please come out to the Cambie Street Bridge at 11am this Saturday to join other like-minded, passionate people in what is shaping up to be a fun, inspiring, and exceptionally important event.

• For more information on Bridge to a Cool Planet's event : Day of Action
• State your intention to participate via their Facebook event page, and help spread the word : October 24th : Vancouver Calls For Action on Global Warming
• They are still looking for volunteers! : Get Involved

Why is it particularly important to act now?
Not that concerted effort in regards to climate action has been no less important up until this point, but what needs to be taken into serious consideration now is the fact that more than 15,000 people including government officials and advisors from 192 nations will be meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark this December for COP-15, the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Their task? To solve the problem of climate change. Simple, right? Needless to say, this is considered one of the most significant gatherings in history.

What's the significance of '350'?
According to 350.org, "two years ago, after leading climatologists observed rapid ice melt in the Arctic and other frightening signs of climate change, they issued a series of studies showing that the planet faced both human and natural disaster if atmospheric concentrations of CO2 remained above 350 parts per million." Our current atmospheric concentration of CO2 is 390ppm. For more on the science of 350, visit this link and/or that link from 350.org

"It's too late to be a pessimist."
To borrow a line from Yann Arthus-Bertrand's wonderfully-shot documentary, "Home," it's much too late to be a pessimist. The political reality of 350 is undoubtedly difficult to conceive of, especially when one needs to consider that nearly 200 nations must unanimously agree on how to deal with this most pressing issue. We need action now, and this could be our best shot at telling our government exactly how we feel: that we are ultimately responsible for creating a better world, better societies, and better lives for all.

I hope you participate in some way this Saturday.

More sources :
TckTckTck Campaign
Quick answers to critical questions about climate change ; a list of resources care of Bridge to a Cool Planet