For the past 14 years, people around the world have come together for a powerful movement to help deliver global commitments to tackle threats from climate change. Every year, the Earth Hour involves individuals, households, communities, and businesses to turn off non-essential lights for an hour as a symbol for our commitment to the planet.

The first Earth Hour event was held on 31 March 2007. WWF-Australia inspired Sydney-siders to show their support for climate action. More than 2.2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour in the first Earth Hour event.

Today, millions of people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour and together, we’ll speak up for wildlife and forests. We’ll show our support for rivers and oceans. And we’ll rally around crucial actions needed to curb climate change.

Earth Hour 2020 will be at 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm on Saturday, 28 March (SGT)

Your journey can start with this Earth Hour, but it shouldn’t have to end here. Every action we take impacts life around us and even small actions at home can help the planet at large.

Staying in? Here’s how you can save the environment while spending more time at home, and other new and interesting ways you can consider for beyond the lights-out hour and beyond.

Celebrate your role in this global movement

What to do during the 60-mins lights out

 

• Catch the lights-off moment! Find a good vantage point and watch the lights-off moment at 8:30 pm! If you’re into photography, try some time-lapse shots!
• Try candlelight workout! Work up a sweat with a candlelight session of your favourite workout. There are many tutorials available online, like barre sessions, stretch exercises, and if burning calories isn’t quite so you, consider meditation. We recommend the Calm app!

• Host a dinner party! In this time, you can still do mindful meals with family and neighbours. Invite your loved ones over for potluck dinner to be enjoyed by candlelight or do it over video calls. Get creative in this time of social distancing!
• Organise a night of board games! Popular group games in the dark are like Avalon, Werewolf, Secret Hitler.
• Host a movie night! With more viewing parties available online, get into your couch potato mode and get on that movie marathon you always thought about but never got to.
• Entertain the kids with a glow-in-the-dark Scavenger hunt. Take this opportunity to educate the kids about Earth Hour beyond the glowsticks.

Take action beyond Earth Hour:

On the table

• Ditch the disposables; it’s easy to be swayed by the pretty packaging, but single-use plastics contribute to more waste than you think. Use reusable lunch-boxes and water bottles as much as you can.
• Shop responsibly; select products with biodegradable packaging and items made with natural and organic ingredients, and show your kids how they can help spot the difference and help out during grocery runs. Get them involved with what goes on the table, starting from your family meals.
• Buy sustainably sourced food, which is not considered to be over-exploited. If you have to stock your pantry for the next few weeks, do it right. Check out the Singapore Seafood Guide to shop smarter.
• Buy what you need and reduce food wastage. Hosting a party? Prepare to pack the leftovers.

In your home

• Turn down the air conditioning when you’re not indoors. It’s important to stay comfortable when you’re in your home, but it’s unnecessary to keep AC running full blast while you’re out. Use the timer features to help make energy consumption smarter.
• Take shorter showers. A long hot shower can waste a great deal of energy. It doesn’t help that it also dries out your skin. Cut back on the duration of your shower and save on energy and moisturizer.
• Protect your windows. Make sure that your windows are properly sealed so they don’t let in heat in the day or cold air when the air conditioning is on.
• Reduce phantom energy by turning off your electrical appliances when they’re not in use. Electronics on standby can account for up to 10% of your home electricity usage.
• Invest in a night light to keep a dull glow and use less power, if you prefer constant lighting overnight.
• Reduce your carbon footprint even further — make the switch to greener, sustainable LED light bulbs or to renewable energy.
• Reduce paper wastage. Only print and make use of paper when necessary and always use both sides when possible
• Use recycled paper as much as you can. Damaged paper bags can be used for craft, stuffings, or cut to size for spare paper to keep beside your stationery instead of post-its!

Out of Home

• Shopping for essentials? Refuse plastic bags when you go shopping. Buying a pack of cookies or a bar of chocolate at the convenience store? Ditch the plastic bag at the checkout counter! Even better, bring your own reusable bag along when shopping for groceries
• If you have to get plastic bags at the checkout counter, recycle it for garbage disposal.

• Consider your fashion consumption choices. It is resource-intensive to buy new, so visit your thrift stores or resale stores. Not only is it friendly to the environment, but it’s also friendly on your wallet.
• Volunteer with your local environmental agencies/organisations to raise awareness on sustainability issues, like beach clean-ups, recycling programmes, or pledging advocacy!

Share your experiences on social media to raise awareness of climate change and sustainability issues. The light switch is only the beginning of your sustainable journey.

Read: Our Style Theory team is going greener, one easy step-at-a-time