In the last couple of years, particularly in Australia, climate change has been staring us in the face. And so there really couldn’t be a better time than now to observe Earth Hour, which, this year, will be held on Saturday, March 26 at 8:30pm – 9:30pm Eastern Australian time, with the theme of ‘Shape Our Future’.
The hour is a time to switch off their lights and devices and to join millions of communities worldwide in support of stronger action on climate change and the protection of nature.
“It’s never been more critical to come together to protect our world than at this moment,” reads the official Earth Hour site. “Climate change is having an impact on our iconic country right now, with floods impacting parts of Queensland and NSW.”
While you can officially register your participation on the site, if not, you can still participate by switching off all the lights in your home, your phone, TV and any other electronics for the dedicated hour. And, when you do 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.
And if you can’t be bothered organising a dinner party, have a romantic (or platonic) dinner instead. Nothing says romance like flickering candlelit.
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, though. Find one by asking around at work or 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 facemask 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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