What is (and isn’t) Earth Hour?
Earth Hour. What is it? When is it? What isn’t it?
Maybe you’ve heard of it. Maybe you haven’t. This year it fell on Saturday, March 25th, and according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — the backers of this event — it’s an hour-long commitment to changing climate change. It’s an awareness event, used to spread the word globally about the need for new energy policies. All around the world, for one hour on one night a year, people and landmarks shut off their nonessential lights and electronics.
But, do the participants know why?
Misconceptions
Saving energy
I think for some people, they believe Earth Hour is a way to directly save the planet. Everyone turning their lights off for an hour — that’s got to have an environmental impact. Right?
Well, yeah. But, the impact might not be good. The actual direct impact of everyone turning off their lights for an hour is fairly insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But, the energy surge produced as thousands of lights are turned on at the same time is a definite negative. It causes a temporary uptick in emissions as power plants increase their energy output.
Sure, the increase in emissions isn’t big enough to be the end of the world. But, as previously stated, neither is the energy savings the savior of it. WWF doesn’t even claim that Earth Hour is an energy saving event. It’s about awareness.
Speaking of which…
Climate change awareness
Considering the fact that most people probably think that Earth Hour in and of itself effects climate change, they probably don’t realize that it’s soul intention is to spread awareness. People are asked to turn off their lights in acknowledgment that something needs to be done to “change climate change.” They’re asked to join together their voices to change energy policies. And sometimes it works.
But, not if people don’t actually understand why they’re doing what they’re doing.
Is Earth Hour successful?
Since a lot of participators have it all wrong, it’s tempting to say no. That the event is just another right cause that gets promoted incorrectly and ineffectively. But, there’s also a large crowd actually calling for policy changes. WWF reports that there are seven countries aiming to change energy policies due to the event.
So. Globally. What do we have to report?
Earth Hour is well intended, and maybe even occasionally successful. But, due to a big misconception, it isn’t as effective as it could be. The idea is great — wanting to change climate change through awareness. But, in order for it to work, people have to actually become aware. It’s about more than changing your profile picture. It’s about doing the research and being willing to change your habits.
We hope that, in the future, more people will look into the true purpose behind Earth Hour. And that they’ll continue their impact beyond the first 60 minutes.
