The second annual Earth Hour will be observed Saturday, March 27, 2010, at 8:30 p.m. local time. The official website for Earth Hour suggest that as people turn off their lights during a scheduled time, a blackout “will once again cascade around the globe, from New Zealand to Hawaii.” ” Earth Hour, says the Times, is a “global call to action . . . a call to stand up and take responsibility.”
Easy Earth Hour
In the most basic sense, Earth hour’s call to action is the least we can do. Being a part of Earth Hour doesn’t mean we need to change our lives by actually being responsible for the environment. All that is needed is for us to turn off the lights for an hour.
Borrow money, donate, shop
It will not cost you anything to participate; however, Earth Hour sells gear on their official website to anyone who believes this might help stop climate change. Those who believe it may make better environmental sense to donate cash directly to Earth Hour can do that online, too. At the time of this writing, Earth Hour Gear was not yet available, but donations can be made now, so it’s not too early to fill out a personal loan application if you need a loan to do your part for Earth Hour.
Climate Change in a simple form
On the Earth Hour website, they suggest that climate change is being felt in all of the US. Alaska has warmed two times as fast as the rest of the United States. Glaciers are retreating while permafrost is thawing, sea ice is reducing, and snowmelt is earlier within the spring. In the Northwest, Water supplies are being strained while erosion is increasing because winters are wetter when summers are dryer. In the Southwest, droughts are becoming more of a concern because water supplies are additional scarce.
Within the Midwest, downpours are twice as frequent as they were a hundred years ago while lake ice is being reduced. Within the Northeast there is less snow and more rain. In the Southeast there are additional hurricanes, higher winds, additional storm surges, increased air temperatures, and greater rainfall. On the coastlines and islands, which are particularly sensitive to effects of climate change, sea levels are rising, shorelines are eroding, wetlands are drowning and the man-made environment is threatened.
Taking a stance doesn’t have to be hard
It is always good to take a stance on the environment, but it is going to take a lot more than an hour long ritual of turning off your lights to make a change. Taking a stance also doesn’t mean living in a teepee with no running water or electricity.
A person might ride a bike on occasion instead of driving a automobile, purchase fewer wasteful and unnecessary products, or choose foods that require less fossil fuel energy to make.There is no rationale why you can’t participate in Earth Hour when also making real changes; the change will regrettably never be as easy as flipping a switch.
