The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)’s Earth Hour is a global movement of positive change for the environment. It is no longer just about switching off lights for an hour once a year – together we can do more beyond the hour.
Earth Hour is an opportunity to unite with your fellow human beings to promote a better world. Whether with your employees, colleagues, congregation, school, community group, family or friends, we can all get behind Earth Hour and take action for the planet.
This initiative started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 when 2.2-million households turned off their lights for one hour to make a stand against climate change. Growing participation in Earth Hour globally has shown that there is an impetus for individuals to take action through better choices for the planet, thus making a collective impact.
How do you honour the Earth?
The Two Oceans Aquarium is a big supporter of Earth Hour, and in keeping with that commitment, we have visited earthhour.org.za and made our promise to the Earth. Here it is:
We encourage our visitors, blog readers, staff, friends and family to visit the website and add their promise too. Need some inspiration? Here’s our suggestion for promises that you can make today, which will help you go beyond the hour and make a difference to the planet:
I promise to:
- Choose SASSI green-listed or MSC-certified seafood
- Think twice before asking for a straw with my cool drink
- Use environmentally friendly/biodegradable cleaning and healthcare products
- Water my garden only before 10h00 or after 16h00
- Drink tap/filtered water instead of bottled water
- Say no to single-use plastic bags
- Cut all looped items that could be harmful to animals
- Say no to balloons even if they are biodegradable
- Do one beach clean-up a month
- Pick up litter while walking along a beach
- Replace my normal light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) or LEDs
- Support Meat-free Mondays and eat vegetarian meals
- Buy local products and in-season food
- Choose free-range and organic food items
- Recycle tins, plastic, paper and glass
- Tell one other person to honour the Earth and make their promise
Or visit our Going Green page for more inspiration.
What difference will that make?
The power of choice is in our hands through our everyday commitments and consumer selection. Together we can leave a legacy of flourishing ecosystems, healthy rivers, and abundant flora and wildlife.
Visit earthhour.org.za to participate. Talk, tweet #EarthHourZA, post, pin, share, support and spread the word!
Stay in touch: for daily Aquarium updates, follow us on Twitter (@2OceansAquarium) and become a fan on Facebook.