Q: How can we take Earth Hour to the next level?
A: Snicker all you want about the impact of turning off a few light bulbs, but Earth Hour has managed to harness the largest volunteer action ever witnessed: 1.3 billion people in 128 countries join the annual flick-off.
Everyone from Desmond Tutu to Gisele Bündchen has gotten involved, in places ranging from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Egyptian pyramids. But the event gets a fair amount of flak for not going far enough with the momentum it’s got.
Of course, one hour once a year can only do so much, but it is a powerful symbolic act that at minimum, it’s founders at WWF say, is designed to tell tuned-out politicians, “We care about the planet.”
Sounds basic, but given the current climate, with politicians on both sides of the border poised to further gut environmental programs and ministries, it’s actually a pretty essential reminder. If we care enough, maybe our elected reps will oppose Stephen Harper’s slashing of Environment Canada’s air pollution and climate programs by 59 per cent and Natural Resources Canada’s efficiency programs by 20 per cent.
But can’t Earth Hour’s message itself say more? WWF Canada is trying to use the lights-off event to get Canadians pushing for more clean, renewable energy. The org is encouraging home owners and renters alike to sign up for green Bullfrog Power (visit bullfrogpower.com before April 30, enter the promo code “EarthHour11” and you’ll get $50 off your first bill).
A smart move, but don’t stop there. Take it a step further and tell elected officials to stop funding the wrong kind of energy. Send a quick email asking Harper to cut the $1.4 billion in mind-boggling subsidies going to completely nonrenewable climate-cooking oil, coal and gas companies (action.davidsuzuki.org/subsidy).
Then take another half a minute to join Greenpeace in pressing the province to stop draining billions away from cheaper, greener energy by building risky new nuclear reactors (greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/end-the-nuclear-threat/Get-involved).
Don’t forget to copy all your letters to your local MP, MPP and local papers as well as your friends and family.
Bottom line, politicians need to know that when the lights go back on at 9:30 Saturday night, our message remains the same. Blow out your Earth Hour candles, sure, but don’t let the fire go out – keep trying to light one under our elected representatives’ asses, no matter how sluggish and unresponsive they seem.
In the meantime, make the most of Saturday night (March 26). Don’t just turn the lights off during Earth Hour turn off and unplug your computer and other gadgets (and no charging them up beforehand and using them in the dark). Turn the thermostat down a degree or three. Organize an energy scavenger hunt with points for unplugging and flicking off every last thing in your house (well, except your fridge).
Bike or bus it to your Earth Day concert/party/dinner or stay home and light some beeswax rather than polluting paraffin candles. (Burning those gives off nearly the same emissions as the ones coming out of tailpipes.)
Cook up a cozy raw food, carbon-friendly, vegan dinner, play Scrabble, read, meditate or pray for Japan. Start an impromptu jug band or crank out some tunes with a wind-up radio and sing along off key. And keep doin’ it in the dark, even after the hour has come and gone.
Whatever you choose to do, take a moment to look up to the starlit sky and plan for how you’re going to keep conserving, reducing and, yes, lobbying so it starts to feel like Earth Hour every season, month, week and day of the year.
Got a question?
Send your green queries to ecoholic@nowtoronto.com
