EARTH HOUR : March 31, 2012 (8:30 PM)

A few more sleeps and the biggest environmental event is upon us :  Earth Hour.

Each year, since 2007, individuals and businesses all over the world switched off their lights for one hour to take a stand against climate change.  In 2011, Earth Hour saw hundreds of millions of people across 135 countries switch off for an hour. 

The Filipinos are very very active.  For the past three years, Earth Hour Philippines has ranked number one globally in terms of town and city participation in this  WWF-initiated global movement that had its start in March 2007 in a single city - - -  Sydney, Australia. About 50 cities and municipalities in the Philippines switched off in 2008; 647 in 2009; 1,076 in 2010; and 1,554 in 2011.

For the year 2012, the Earth Hour is set for 8:30 pm on March 31.  The annual event is held on the last Saturday of March to coincide with  the “spring and autumn equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively, which allow for near coincidental sunset times in both hemispheres, thereby ensuring the greatest visual impact for a global ‘lights out’ event.”

The Lopez Group of Companies, of which the company (First Balfour) I work for belongs, is  active in supporting the WWF in this global movement.  Earth Hour banners and posters adorn the offices of the Lopez companies.  I am sure many many Lopez company employees will have their respective households switch off for 1 hour come Saturday.

I will also be encouraging my relatives, friends, school buddies and fellow runners to be part of the Earth Hour event.  It is an opportunity to do something good for our community and the whole world. 

It is an opportunity to make a personal commitment.  It is an opportunity to be counted.

 

I am reminded of the words of Robert Kennedy on the power of individual actions:

“Let no one be discouraged by the belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world’s ills --- against misery and ignorance, injustice and violence... Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each one of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from the numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped.  Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

Everyone has the power to change the world we live in.  

 

The challenge this 2012, GOING BEYOND  the HOUR.