What is Earth Hour?
Organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the global grassroots movement unites people to take action on environmental issues and protect the planet.
How did Earth Hour start?
Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia as a lights-out event on March 31, 2007 when more than 2.2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour. Since then, it has millions of supporters in over 185 countrie.
What does Earth Hour require?
Turn off the lights during Earth Hour. The objective is for people to take action beyond the hour such as supporting a local WWF project or getting involved in campaigns. The light switch is just the beginning.
What does Earth Hour aim to achieve?
It supports efforts that create a powerful movement that helps deliver strong global commitments to tackling climate change. It is also to spark global conversations on protecting nature.
What does a commitment to Earth Hour mean?
People turn their lights off in the hope that it would lead to actions beyond the hour.
Why is Earth Hour held in late March?
This time of year is around the Spring and Autumn equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively. This allows for near coincidental sunset times in both hemispheres, thereby ensuring a global ‘lights out’ event.
What does the Earth Hour logo mean?
The standard Earth Hour ’60’ logo represents the 60 minutes of Earth Hour focusing on human impact on the planet and the positive action to take to address environmental issues.
Who can participate in Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is a campaign for anyone and everyone who wants to help make the planet better.
Does Earth Hour welcome the support of other NGOs (Non-Government Organisations)?
Earth Hour would not be possible without the support of other NGOs. Global organisations have been pivotal in spreading the Earth Hour message.
Whose idea was Earth Hour?
Earth Hour came from a think tank initiated by Earth Hour co-founder, Andy Ridley, resulting in the formation of a partnership between WWF-Australia, Leo Burnett and Fairfax Media to address climate change.
Isn’t switching the lights off dangerous? What about public safety?
Earth Hour only asks people to turn off any non-essential lights for one hour – not lights that affect public safety.
What about the electricity and resources used to promote the event?
Earth Hour takes every effort to minimise its footprint all year round. All participants are encouraged to think sustainably when planning or organising events.
What energy/carbon reductions have resulted from Earth Hour?
Earth hour is not an energy reduction exercise – it is a symbolic action. It encourages people to take accountability for their ecological footprint and find real solutions to our environmental challenges.
Will Earth Hour worsen the threat of the COVID-19?
Earth Hour is advising participants to celebrate digitally. There are many ways to encourage participation online or at home.
Is it okay to celebrate Earth Hour when the world is facing a global health crisis?
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, people need to stand together to safeguard the future of the planet. Earth Hour is a global environmental movement to stop the destruction of nature on which our health depends.
What is WWF’s message to the participants of Earth Hour?
The health and safety of the community should be top priority. Celebrate Earth Hour digitally this year. If you host an on-ground event, closely follow national health guidelines provided by your Ministry of Health.
