It’s no secret that climate change has been staring us in the face. And so there really couldn’t be a better time to observe Earth Hour, which falls on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 8:30pm – 9:30pm Eastern Australian time. This year, the theme is ‘Take time out for nature’.
Earth Hour is an opportunity to switch off your non-essential lights and devices and to join millions of communities worldwide in support of stronger action on climate change and the protection of nature.
“It may not seem like much, but the magic happens when you, and those like you in Asia and Africa, North and South America, Oceania and Europe — supporters in over 190 countries and territories — all give an hour for our one home, creating the Biggest Hour for Earth,” reads the official Earth Hour site.
“By doing so, this hour can shine an unmissable global spotlight on nature loss and climate change, and the need to work together to secure a brighter future for people and the planet.”
The site says that though we may be the first generation to actually have the solutions we need to reverse nature loss and limit climate change, we’ll also be the last ones who can act before it’s too late. No pressure.
Related: Aside From 23 Hours, What’s the Difference Between Earth Day and Earth Hour?
Related: How to Be a Sustainability Guru in 2023
While you can officially register your participation on the site, you can participate even without registering by switching off all the lights in your home, your phone, TV and any other electronics for the dedicated hour. While you’re doing that, you might also consider switching on some fun.
Ahead, we share four ways to do exactly that, each showing that you don’t necessarily need electricity to have a good time.
Host a Dinner Party
Invite some friends over for a cosy, candle-lit dinner party. Sure, you’ll need electricity to cook up the meal, but make sure you’re all done by 8:30pm. And, if you’re done before then, still switch off the lights and light candles on the table — it’ll add to the ambience.
If you can’t be bothered organising a dinner party, have a romantic (or platonic) dinner instead. Nothing says romance like flickering candlelight.
Do a Yoga Class
This one’s a little out-of-the-box, but hear me out: try yoga in the dark. Well, with a candle that’s kept well out of arm-waving and leg-kicking distance. Or you could even do it entirely in the dark — up to you! Either way, it’ll be almost guaranteed to be an experience you won’t forget.
What you will need for this, if you’re the one organising it, is a teacher. Find one by asking around at work or with family and friends, and then find a space that can fit you and any others you invite. And if you can’t find a teacher, simply try setting up a quiet, comfy space to meditate.
Have a Self-Care Night
Treat yourself while you treat Planet Earth. Set up some candles in your bathroom, slap on a facemask (and hair mask, while you’re at it) and slip into a warm bubble bath. If you don’t have a bath, go with a face mask and comfy robe and slippers, curled up on the couch or in bed.
Make a Resolution
And finally, the best thing you can do this Earth Hour is to make a resolution about what you can do moving forward to help the planet. Think small-scale, like aiming to learn more about what you can and can’t recycle and sharing more about sustainability with your family and friends; and big-scale, like becoming a sustainability advocate at your place of work.
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