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.

Seedy Palooza

*Clockwise: Tessa and Jane from Children’s section and our very own Amy and Matthew from EYA.

Who knew seeds could attract such a crowd? Saturday February 27^th at Vandusen Gardens, people of all ages could attend to learn, buy and trade the secrets of seeds. Tessa and Jane were seated at the Children’s table on the outside of the floral hall where the event took place. They were given the task to educate children and give them something fun to do in the presence of a more mature audience. I asked Tessa if she could tell me some of the things she had in store for the visiting children. She laughed because I was obviously older than should be, she went on.

“I encourage them to look at a diagram of a seed and to learn what’s inside” she said. There was not only a picture for them to look at, but a small area where seeds had already grown for the children to pick out. As a parting gift she packs “Bean-Bags,” real seeds, with wetted cotton balls that allow the seed to grow for a time so that the kids have a little keepsake and reminder.

When you walk into the Hall where the main area is, you’ll find that there were booths everywhere, not only selling seeds, but also advertising vital information. Very social and outgoing, Dr Aimee Taylor was one of the participants of the many booths. She had a worm house displayed telling me “It was to attract all ages and catch eyes” to her booth, and once I found that out she told me what she did. Dr. Taylor works to set up gardening programs for seniors, disabled adults and children; it’s very inspiring that this event does incorporate every age to create a more comfortable environment for everyone.

None other than two of our very own EYA volunteers were present on Seedy Saturday. Amy and Matthew (Right) were manning the booths near the exit of the hall. They were attracting a handful of visitors the time I was there, and I finally got a chance to introduce myself as well as ask some questions to these two. Both had told me our seeds sold were specially grown in our own garden. After we had our conversation, I left learning that the EYA was also starting a much easier way for everyone to trade seeds, just like they had that day to promote seed trading. You could buy, sell, and even trade.

EYA’s knowledgeable volunteers were, as everyone else was too, very obliging to everyone met. Farming practices, seed diversity, international campaigns and gardening education were among many of the interesting tidbits at the Vandusen Gardens on Seedy Saturday. “It gives children a chance to learn at a young age,” Tessa told me.