Earth Hour

Earth Hour is a global day dedicated to preserving our planet. It is observed annually on the last Saturday in March. As a result of human activity, many species of animals and plants have been irrevocably lost, the ecology continues to suffer, and the climate continues to change. This day is designed to draw people’s attention to existing environmental problems. Doing a good deed for the planet is easy: just turn off the lights and any electrical appliances for an hour.

History

The story of Earth Hour begins in 2004, when the Australian World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) proposed creating it. A large-scale advertising campaign was launched to attract people to the issue of climate change on Earth. However, the tradition of turning off power came later—only in 2006. A year later, it was held in Sydney.

By 2008, this day began to be observed around the world. One time was chosen: from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time. On this day, people are encouraged to de-energize their homes. Even the Google page switched to a dark theme! Such simple actions were effective: energy consumption was significantly reduced, negative radio wave radiation was reduced, and CO₂ levels in the air were lowered.

Interesting facts

• Thirty-five countries and several hundred cities participated in the first global action.
• Nuclear power generation emits half as much carbon dioxide as solar or geothermal power.
• Reducing energy consumption reduces the amount of natural resources needed to produce electricity.

How to celebrate

The best way to celebrate is to support the idea of an hour-long electric power outage. Learn about current environmental issues and what protections are in place. Do your part now: reduce water consumption (use less pressure, fix leaks promptly), dispose of garbage properly, and more.

Spread the word on social media. Ask other users if they participate in the one-hour blackout.

When is Earth Hour in 2025?

Earth Hour is observed annually on the last Saturday of March.

Observations