Earth Hour 2011 - Earth Day
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Earth Hour to Make a Positive Impact
Earth Hour is a global event created in 2007 to symbolize that each of us, working together, can make a positive impact on climate change--no matter who we are or where we live.
Starting at 8:30 pm local time on March 26, 2011, individuals, communities and businesses are encouraged to "turn off the lights" in cities around the world for one hour.
Will you join them and turn off the lights?
This simple act will not only heighten awareness of the impacts of climate change on our world, but also inspire individuals and businesses to take practical action to reduce their own carbon footprint.
Get yourself involved, your family involved, your children involved, your students involved in an event to raise awareness about climate change.
Earth Hour 2011 is 26 March 2011 at 8.30 PM in All Time Zones
Earth Hour will You Participate?
Remember to Turn Out the Lights
Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Difference
- Turn out your lights.
- Buy energy-saving lights.
- Turn electrical goods off when not in use.
- Pump up your car tires to reduce fuel consumption.
- Walk when you can to save energy.
- Turn down the thermostat in the winter, turn it up in the summer.
Earth Hour 2011 Official video
10 Ways to Make a Difference During & After Earth Hour
Here are 10 fun ideas from Earth Hour to help you, your family and your friends make a change and make a difference today.
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Host a Green Party
Get your friends together for an Earth Hour eco-party. Fire up the flashlights and battery lanterns, serve organic food, avoid the disposable utensils, use natural décor (like flowers and hanging plants) and have a friend provide acoustic music. Talk to your guests about how you're each reducing your environmental footprint and share ideas and solutions for saving more energy, money and carbon dioxide. -
Give Yourself an Energy Makeover
Use Earth Hour to make your home more energy efficient: Replace your old light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs; install power strips (so you can turn computers and electronics on and off more easily); and change your air conditioner filters. Or go one step farther and install one new energy-efficient item, like an EnergyStar qualified DVD player. And on Monday, call your local utility and sign up for green power-like wind, hydro or solar. -
Go Green with Your Kids
Earth Hour is a perfect time to talk to your kids about the environment and why we need to protect our planet from the dangers of climate change. Check out books on the environment from the library and read by flashlight, or head into the yard and have a night picnic. Or how about a night of board games? Check out our downloadable Earth Hour kids' activities. -
Do a Recyclables Scavenger Hunt
Get your flashlights and scour your cabinets and shelves for cans, bottles and cardboard (like cereal boxes) that you don't normally recycle. Make a list of all the non-recyclable containers you're using now (like plastic shopping bags and butter tubs), and figure out ways to reduce your consumption of items that end up in landfills. One easy tip: get reusable grocery bags... and reuse them! -
Green That Workspace!
Working the night shift? Even if you can't turn off all the lights at work, look around and see what you can unplug, turn down or use less of (like consuming less paper by printing double-sided). Every day millions of computer screens and speakers are left on overnight--shut 'em off! And talk to your coworkers about what they can do to help make a difference, too. -
Involve Your Local Leaders
If your city or town isn't hosting an Earth Hour event, ask your local government to set up a community "green" discussion this spring. Help organize attendance by reaching out to local environmental and community groups, and come prepared to ask your leaders what they're doing to make your city greener. -
Clean Up Your Neighborhood
Grab a flashlight and take a long walk through your neighborhood, picking up trash and recyclables as you go. It's a great chance to do some stargazing, too! -
Unplug and Chill Out
Most of our daily activities--like watching TV, shopping online and texting friends--require loads of electricity, but do we really need to do so much stuff all the time? Take one hour for yourself to just chill... turn off the screens, put down the handheld devices and just take some "you" time to reflect, read or talk to your family. After all, why do more when you can do less? -
Take Your Temperature
Your thermostat and your refrigerator are responsible for a huge portion of your carbon footprint. If you lower your thermostat by just 2 degrees and set your fridge to 37 degrees F. and the freezer at 0 degrees F., you'll make a big difference. -
Make a Pledge for the Planet
Earth Hour shouldn't end at 9:01 pm--it's a chance to take a first step toward lowering your overall impact on the environment. So use part of that hour to make a personal pledge to do more--recycle, drive less often, turn off or unplug electronics, and beyond. The only way we're going to stabilize our climate is if we make real changes in our everyday lives. That change begins with Earth Hour, and ends with a healthy planet.
Earth Hour 2011 March 26 at 8:30 pm
See the difference you can make. Join Earth Hour 2011, March 26, 20118 at 8:30 pm.
Join People, Businesses, Cities and Government to take action on climate change, raise awareness and make a positive impact.
Turn out the lights. It's good for the planet.
12 Ways to Get Involved with Earth Day 2011
- Sign up for Earth Hour 2011.
- Get involved and create a bigger, better Earth Hour.
- Tell a Friend. Send an Email Message.
- Blog about Earth Day 2011.
- Get Your Business Involved with Earth Hour 2011.
- Create your own Earth Hour event.
- Reduce your impact on climate change.
- Advertise Your Business's Support for Earth Hour.
- Upload a Photo for Earth Hour.
- Create and Upload a Video in Support of Earth Hour.
- Wear an Earth Hour T-shirt.
- Support Earth Hour 2011 and contact WWF to find out about support opportunities.
Earth Hour +
More than Just an Hour - Ways to Make a Difference Every Day at Home
Turning off the lights for Earth Hour is a great first step.
Here are some suggestions from the WWF Newsletter for helping make Earth Hour part of your everyday life.
- Next time, buy a car that gets at least 30 miles per gallon (reduces carbon dioxide 2,500 pounds a year over a car that gets 10 mpg less.)
- Whenever possible, walk, bike carpool or use mass transit. (Reduces emissions by 20 pounds for every gallon of gasoline used.)
- Swap out standard light bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescents. (Reduces emissions by 500 pounds per year per light bulb).
- Install low-flow showerheads that use less water. (Reduces emissions up to 300 pounds per year.)
- Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket. (Reduces emissions up to 1,000 pounds per year.)
- Replace worn-out home appliances with energy efficient models. Visit energystar.gov for details. (Reduces emissions by up to 3,000 pounds per year.)
- Choose the best energy-saving models when you replace windows. (Reduces emissions up to 10,000 pounds per year.)
- Insulate walls and ceilings and save about 25% of home heating bills. (Reduce emissions by up to 2,000 pounds per year.)
- Where you can, choose an electricity provider that relies less on conventional power plants using fossil fuels, especially coal (potential emission reductions can vary.)
- Ask your utility company for a home energy audit to pinpoint the biggest energy-wasters. (Potential reduction of thousands of pounds per year.)
Earth Hour 2011 Poll - Prior to the Event
More Information on Earth Hour 2011
Everyone around the world is encouraged to be involved and shut the lights off in their homes and businesses.
- Earth Hour 2011: It's time to go beyond the hour
- At 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour.
- Earth Hour from the WWF Canada
- Information on Earth Hour from the World Wildlife Fund Canada.
"Lights Out" at Google
- Google - Lights Out
- Google users in the United States noticed on March 29, 2008 that they "turned the lights out" on the Google.com homepage as a gesture to raise awareness of a worldwide energy conservation effort called Earth Hour.
Your Thoughts on Earth Hour 2011
Do you think events like Earth Hour makes a difference and raises awareness?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes it helps raise awareness!
Jon_Symonds says:
Hi Kirsti, I have to say that I was involved in Earth Hour in 2007 and we thought it was a huge success. In Sydney we created a great vibe as local busniesses, corporations and the community got behind the event 100%.
It was amazing to see the majority of the city flick the switch and go dark. Local resturants made a killing with romantic candle lit dinners. It just made the night special. In 2008 it was great that the rest of the world took part.
I think that in 2009 it's going to be bigger still. If we can spread the success to all major cities in Europe and the US then it will make a huge difference.
If one city with about 1.2 million people participating turned the lights out for one hour and it had the same effect as taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year. Then imagine the impact it will have if every city followed suit, you do the maths.
It's a great cause and we shouldn't just limit it to once a year. This should inspire us to do it everyday. As you can see the little things do count when it's done on mass.
Great lens.
Posted June 14, 2008
chemrat says:
Thanks for the great lens on Earth Hour. I wrote about and promoted Earth Hour on my blogs,Nearly nothing but novels and Chemistry for a sustainable world, and at gather.com. We played acoustic music in the semi-dark to observe it. I do think it raises awareness. There was some cynical response, but being cynical never accomplished anything.
Thanks also for joining my new group, Sustainability and the environment. Best wishes from a Squidoo beginner, Jim (chemrat)
Posted April 12, 2008
casperfei says:
Earth hour was a very good event for raising the awareness of the Climate Change. It attracted some big organization and governmentt involve in. A very good start for everybody. I will be sign up too.
Posted March 26, 2008
poddys says:
I think it definitely does raise awareness, but I sadly don't think enough people realise what a pickle our planet is in right now. The scientific reports suggest that 100 years from now we may have to worry about sea levels rising etc, but I have been worried for years that the estimates you read in the news have been too conservative, so as not to scare people. However the latest news on the melting polar ice suggests to me that things are moving rather faster than the media is letting on. If I lived close to sea level I would be concerned right now. Hang on - I do...
Posted March 26, 2008
ols says:
I`m sure it`ll raise awareness short term. Until the governments come on board though I fear little will change.
Posted March 25, 2008
riff999 says:
Even if you are unable to participate in the event, be sure to spread the word. Making people aware of the situation is the start of change. Great lens. 5*
~Jane
Posted March 24, 2008
No Way!
lissie says:
I think its a media stunt and fairly meaningless one at that - Sydney was big in Australia turning off their photgenic tower blocks - you wonder if all the lights are generally ON at 8pm on a Saturday - I think not - I suspect they were turned on just to be turned off! And yes a>
Posted March 29, 2008
“What we take for granted might not be here for our children. - Al Gore”
An Inconvenient Truth Documentary in the Amazon Spotlight
The Academy Award Winning Documentary
An Inconvenient Truth
Amazon Price: $4.16 (as of 02/14/2012)
An Inconvenient Truth makes the compelling case that global warming is real, man-made, and its effects will be cataclysmic if we don't act now.
Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way: often humorous, frequently emotional, always fascinating.
The Academy Award Winning Documentary leaves the viewer shaken, involved and inspired.
Al Gore on a Wake Up Call for the Environment
You look at that river gently flowing by. You notice the leaves rustling with the wind. You hear the birds; you hear the tree frogs.In the distance you hear a cow. You feel the grass. The mud gives a little bit on the river bank. It's quiet; it's peaceful.
And all of a sudden, it's a gear shift inside you. And it's like taking a deep breath and going, "Oh yeah, I forgot about this."
...Future generations may well have occasion to ask themselves, "What were our parents thinking? Why didn't they wake up when they had a chance?"
We have to hear that question from them, now.
Al Gore, From An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth the Book in the Amazon Spotlight
An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It
Amazon Price: $1.30 (as of 02/14/2012)
Al Gore had a greater mission in life than becoming President in 2000. His book An Inconvenient Truth is an inspirational wake up call for the planet.
A look at the climate crisis that has become a true planetary emergency.
Squidoo Featured Lenses on Climate Change
David Miller, Mayor of Toronto
A Song for Earth Hour on YouTube
Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
- An Inconvenient Truth > Carbon Calculator
- The official website for An Inconvenient Truth a feature film documentary on the Earth's climate crisis.
- Carbon Footprint Calculator - Calculate Your Impact on Climate Change
- Calculate Your Impact on Climate Change.
- My Carbon Footprint
- You control climate change, European Commission - Environment DG - This is the website of the European Commission's Climate Change Campaign.
- Carbon Counter - Personal Calculator
- Voluntary Carbon Offsets to help fight climate change from Carbon Counter.org.
- Carbon Footprint - Calculate, Reduce and Offset - Carbon Footprint Calculator
- The internet's best online carbon footprint calculator and it's free to use.
- WWF Footprint Calculator
- Calculate your own carbon and ecological footprint. Find out how to reduce it.
Books on Green Living Available on Amazon
Check out some of these books on Green Living on Amazon.
Squidoo Featured Lens on Carbon Calculators
- Carbon Calculators
- We've been gathering a comprehensive list of carbon calculators, eco calculators, ecological footprint calculators and the like.Here's a partial list of what we've found so far. It's very much a work in progress, so please check back as we add more calculators.
My Bag and Me! in the Amazon Spotlight
My Bag and Me!
Amazon Price: $4.85 (as of 02/14/2012)
I purchased "My Bag and Me!" to read to my daughters during Earth Hour 2008 this weekend, when it's lights out for the environment.
We read the girls the book by led and solar lights. They were excited about getting their own reusable bag. I hope now they;ll get more involved in recycling and reusing.
Suggestions to Go Green with Your Kids
- Earth Hour Lesson Plans - Grade K-2
- PDF File Earth Hour Lesson Plans for Grade K-2
- Earth Hour Lesson Plans - Grade 3-6
- PDF File Earth Hour Lesson Plans for Grade 3-6
- Thinkfinity's ThinkGreen material
- Lesson plans to ThinkGreen for children from Thinkfinity, an Earth Hour Supporter.
- Earth Hour 2008 - Lesson Plans for Children
- A link to the overall page with Lesson Plans for Children.
Books to Teach Children about the Environment on Amazon
The Latest Google News on Earth Hour 2011
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBooks to Help Raise Green Families on Amazon
Blog Posts on Earth Hour 2008 from Google
- Earth Hour Campaign Begins 'I Will If You Will' Activity
- By ELLALYN B. DE VERA MANILA, Philippines ? The Earth Hour campaign is stepping up its annual lights out event this year with the launching of the ?I Will If You Will? activity that offers an opportunity for communities to be part of concrete ...
- Auto stocks drive final hour gains
- Shale gas trapped in sedimentary rocks below the earth's surface is the new focus area in the US, Canada and China as an alternative to conventional oil and gas for meeting growing energy needs. These unconventional deposits have raised estimates for ...
- Cloud Computing: More Mobile Devices than People Soon: Cisco
- The Internet highway may start looking like a proverbial New York traffic jam at rush hour soon. Feel free to substitute any town you like because Cisco says there's going to be a faster-than-expected 18x surge in worldwide mobile data traffic between ...
- World's Top Bull Riders Coming To Detroit For 'Last Cowboy Standing' Competition
- DETROIT (WWJ) - The ?Toughest Sport on Earth? comes to Detroit for the first time as the top 35 bull riders and the toughest bucking bulls in the world will compete Saturday, March 10 at 8 pm in the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) Detroit Invitational ...
Squidoo Lenses on Going Green
More Squidoo Lenses on Going Green
Reader Feedback on Earth Hour 2011
Will you be turning off the lights on March 29, 2011?
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OrganicMom247 Apr 1, 2011 @ 3:51 pm | delete
- I did participate and I think it is great, one small way to make a big difference.
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Philippians468
Mar 31, 2011 @ 6:14 pm | delete
- everyone plays a part! a little effort goes a long way! cheers
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TeddyL
Mar 29, 2010 @ 3:07 am | delete
- It is so amazing that more and more people today are now aware on how to save the Mother Earth on a simple way. A total doofus could do a little something for Earth Hour - all you have to do is switch off all the lights and appliances (within reason - I am not turning off the fridge, that's just stupid) or not drive a auto from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on the 27th of March. That's pretty easy. Think of it as making payday advances out to the Earth - if it actually does help offset climate change or global warming, then it isn't as if it hurts you to do it. Heck, turning the lights out may even motivate people to do something fun with the spouse that does not revolve around American Idol.
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decisiongreen
Aug 5, 2008 @ 11:08 pm | delete
- Great information.
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jasmineann
Apr 25, 2008 @ 7:27 am | delete
- Great lens to raise awareness about climate change and I agree its also about sustainable things we can do to look after our planet. 5 stars!
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enslavedbyfaeries
Apr 22, 2008 @ 1:56 pm | delete
- Great lens! I love the Carbon Footprint calculators, great addition to help us realize how our actions affect the environment.
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Mar 28, 2008 @ 4:23 pm | delete
- Great lens Kristi..^^...I gave it a 5*
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Barkely
Mar 27, 2008 @ 12:02 am | delete
- I'm in, we spent two days with out electricity a few weeks ago after an ice storm. One hour should be no problem, and for a great cause.
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casperfei
Mar 26, 2008 @ 10:50 pm | delete
- A very good lens dedicated for earth hour. I have a lens on live in green. Perharps you can add me in.
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poddys
Mar 26, 2008 @ 7:55 am | delete
- Fabulous lens. Earth Hour is important, but the savings in energy usage will be insignificant. I hope it does raise awareness though, we might not have too many years left if people don't wake up soon.
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About the Author
by Comfortdoc
Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a respected physician, an expert in life challenges, loss, grief and bereavement, professional health educator, professor,... more »
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