The last Saturday of March is finally here, and do you know what that means? It’s time to participate in the Earth Hour global event! There’s no better way to embrace Earth Hour (and upcoming Earth Day on 22 April) than to spend quality family time learning how we can protect our planet for the betterment of future generations.
On this day, the lights will go out for one hour all over the world between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (Local time). This act represents our dedication to making the earth, our home, a better place to live. If you’re wondering what Earth Hour is all about and how you can make the celebration more meaningful while also providing fun activities for the kids, keep reading.
What’s the Purpose and Meaning of Earth Hour?
Earth Hour was first started by the World Wide Fund (WWF) and its partners on 31 March 2007 in Sydney. The symbolic light-out event is held to raise awareness of climate change. Today, it is one of the world’s largest environmental movements.
According to their official website, the mission of Earth Hour is “to increase awareness and spark global conversations on protecting nature, tackling the climate crisis, and working together to shape a brighter future for us all.”
Think about it: Wouldn’t it be a wonderful feeling to be able to breathe clean air wherever you go and not have to worry about any harm that might befall our planet?
How Can Your Family Help the Environment?
Let us join hands to improve our planet’s conditions for a better future living following the theme of Earth Hour 2022, ‘Shape Our Future’. Even after Earth Hour, your family can help protect and care for our planet in a variety of ways. Here’s how:
- 5R’s waste management: Surprise, surprise! It’s no longer the 3Rs, but the 5Rs—refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle. In this waste management process, recycling is listed last to ensure that we can reduce all types of waste.
- Avoid wasting water: When brushing your teeth or taking a shower, never leave water unattended. It has been predicted that if water consumption is not drastically reduced, a severe water shortage will affect the entire planet by 2040.
- Conserve energy: Turning off lights and plugs when not in use, using less air conditioning, drying clothes on a clothesline or airer, and switching to LED energy-saving light bulbs are just a few of the things you can do.
- Littering is never acceptable: Make it a habit not to litter, and teach your children to always hold their rubbish until they find a bin. If we can all do this, the environment will be so beautiful in the eyes of many.
- Volunteer for community clean-ups: This is one way to make your neighbourhood a better and cleaner place to live. There’s so much that can be done, such as picking up rubbish, mowing grass, cleaning the pathways, minor road repairs, and so on.
- Donate to charity: Please only donate items that can be reused by others. When you do this, you are not only avoiding waste but also giving something to someone who may be in need. As the saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.
Furthermore, rather than just sitting in the dark, your family can make Earth Hour more enjoyable by engaging in fun activities like below:
5 Earth Hour Activities for Your Family to Enjoy
1. Camp out or have a picnic
You can camp or have a picnic with your children in the backyard or the living room. If you’re indoors, set the scene as if you’re outside and share some snacks while enjoying each other’s company. If you have the opportunity to be out, plan extraordinary activities such as a campfire or stargazing.
2. Put on a shadow puppet show
Shadows can be the most exciting thing for children in a dark room. To create your own shadow puppet show, cut out some puppet figures and begin performing behind a hung translucent screen or cloth with candles lit on. Even better if you can create a skit based on your children’s favourite cartoon!
3. Listen to songs and dance away
What could be more entertaining than some great music? Play your family’s favourite song and get everyone dancing. You could also host your own Zumba session or play musical chairs with your family members.
4. Stroll around the neighbourhood or a park
Take your kids for a night walk around your neighbourhood or a nearby park. It will be a fantastic experience to enjoy the nighttime sightseeing. Some parks also have cycling and other activities available for kids to enjoy.
5. Play all kinds of games
It may be dark, but you can always light some candles and play various family games. The options are endless, ranging from board games to cards to the classic hide-and-seek. Even after the one hour is up, your family could be left playing all night.
It’s Time to Spend Earth Hour as a Family
And there you have it! These are some of the contributions and activities for your family to participate in during Earth Hour and beyond. Earth Hour is a worldwide event that reminds us that even modest acts may have a large impact. Change is achievable, but only if we work together to make it happen.
Remember to turn off your lights on 26 March 2022, at 8:30 p.m.! It’ll only be for an hour, but if all of us play our parts right, it’ll hopefully do wonders for our planet.
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