5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Hour

Earth Hour is coming up this Saturday, March 24th, only two days after World Water Day. If you're looking for a couple of ways to celebrate World Water Day make sure to head over to our last blog post. 

Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia in 2007. It was celebrated as a lights-off event where people turned their lights off for one hour. Now, Earth Hour has been celebrated in more than 180 countries and territories around the world with the mission to unite people to protect the planet. 

Earth Hour is run by a charitable organization in Singapore and organized by WWF. We have also partnered with WWF on a special engraved phone case.  

Earth Hour is celebrated at 8:30 pm in your time zone. It takes place at the end of March to try and align with the Spring equinox. During the Spring equinox, the sunlight to daylight ration is almost even with 12 hours of sun and 12 hours of darkness. 

Because the daylight is even, the Northern and Southern hemispheres experience sunsets at almost the same time so lights out has a massive visual impact! 

So, let's talk about five fun ways you can celebrate earth hour this Saturday, and don't forget to RSVP.

1. Candlelight Dinner:

This can be an elaborate gorgeous meal you cook for yourself, a meal for a loved one, or even invite over a group of friends. 

Inviting over a group of friends is a great way to spread the earth hour message and spend sometime in meaningful conversation about sustainability. 

After dinner, you can also break out a group of board games to play and keep earth hour going. It doesn't have to be just for an hour. 

2. Stargazing:

Go into your backyard or take a trip to a near by park the sun will be setting around 7:15 so by the time 8:30 rolls around it will be prime star gazing time. Lay down a fluffy blanket, pack some delicious snacks, maybe even a thermos of hot cocoa. 

Spend an hour gazing at all of the gorgeous stars. Spend some time trying to find the Spring constellations coming into view. If you're in North America you can see, Bootes, Cancer, Crater, Hydra, Leo, and Virgo.

3. Campfire:

If you're free for more than an hour, you could have a whole earth weekend! Think about going on a camping trip and really connect with nature. 

You can light a campfire, share scary stories, and make some delicious s'mores. Of course, you can do all of that without going camping too.

4. Acoustic Show:

When I was in college, we used to have an evening event in the cafeteria. All of the lights would be off and there would be candles on all of the tables. There would be a couple of singer-songwriters playing the acoustic guitar and it was such a lovely ambiance. 

It was just a really nice event to get together with friends, listen to music, and enjoy quiet conversation. It was relaxing and peaceful. Think about organizing a larger community event like this to celebrate Earth Hour. 

5. Self-Care: 

An hour of darkness, is a great excuse to take some time for yourself and focus on your mental health. During earth hour, I will be lighting a few candles and taking a relaxing bath. 

I'll put on some music, brew a nice cup of tea, and focus on decompressing after a long week. Taking some time for yourself allows for mental clarity and will help you kickstart your week with new energy! 

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No matter which route you go, I really hope you will join in and turn out the lights at 8:30 on Saturday for more information check out the Earth Hour website and don't forget to RSVP.