Earth Hour is tomorrow evening at 8:30 p.m. You may be a regular participant, thinking about participating in Earth Hour for the first time, or just looking for something to do on Saturday night. No matter which camp you fall into, you won’t want to miss my list of 10 things to do during Earth Hour.

What is Earth Hour?

The World Wildlife Fund started Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia in 2007. In that first year, 2.2 million people turned off their lights for an hour to send a message to the government that people were concerned about climate change.

Side note: The Plastic Free July movement also started in Australia. It seems our friends “down under” are pioneers when it comes to environmental action.

The following year, 50 million people in 35 countries participated. Plus, major landmarks like Rome’s Colosseum and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge went dark to mark the occasion.

Fast forward to this year and Earth Hour is observed by 192 countries around the world at 8:30 p.m. local time on the last Saturday of March.

Although the initial goal of Earth Hour was to raise awareness of climate change and show support for our planet, the movement has become a catalyst for change. Many countries have passed environmental and climate change legislation as a result of Earth Hour activities. You can learn more about these initiatives on the Earth Hour website.

So, while it may seem like a purely symbolic gesture, participating in Earth Hour is worthwhile. Besides, it’s always fun to turn off the lights, light some candles and slow down the pace of life for an hour.

10 things to do during Earth Hour

If you’re planning to participate, here are ten things you can do during Earth Hour. All of these activities can be done by candlelight, and most don’t use any energy at all.

• Enjoy a nice candlelit dinner.
• Read a book.
• Write something. Use the time to write in your journal, write a poem, start your next blog post, or make a start on that novel you’ve wanted to write.
• Play board games or cards.
• Make a puzzle.
• Talk to your family. If you live alone, call someone.
• Camp out in your living room. Make a makeshift tent, crawl inside, and tell ghost stories or sing campfire songs.
• Sing songs or grab your guitar for an acoustic jam session.
• Practise yoga.
• Meditate or do mindfulness exercises.  

And don’t forget to share your stories on social media using the hashtags #ShapeOurFuture and #EarthHour.

Don’t underestimate the power of these grassroots movements to make a difference in the world!

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little, do what you can.

Sydney Smith

Will you be participating in Earth Hour this year? How will you spend your hour? Tell me your ideas below.