This WWF event returned on Saturday, 22nd March, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The event sees millions of people worldwide switch off their lights for one hour, in order to raise awareness about the climate crisis.
Starting in 2007, Lisa Lee, the Executive Director of Brand, Campaigns and Communications, said: “It’s a moment for all of us to switch off from our busy lives, reflect, and reconnect with nature”.
The 19-year-old event has gained attention globally, with 190 countries having participated this year and last year’s edition seeing landmarks such as the Tokyo Tower, the Eiffel Tower, and the Colosseum in Rome join in the blackout.
Within the UK, the event showed involvement from huge establishments like The London Eye, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Palace, to various local businesses around the nation.
Earth Hour has achieved a lot in its short lifetime, with the key achievements of establishing a 2,700-hectare protected forest in Uganda, supporting a Senate bill for 3.4 million hectares of protected marine area in Argentina, and installing solar-powered lights in three villages without electricity in India.
There are many ways in which students could use the hour every year or continue the idea of enjoying nature and making a difference afterwards. Here are some of the best ideas:
Having a candlelit games night or group meal with your flatmates
Grab your flatmates and turn the hour into a fun night! Prepare a meal and dine under the light of some natural beeswax DIY candles and maybe even use some eco-friendly ingredients from the Student Union’s zero waste shop. Why not even add in some card games or enjoy some pre-drinking games whilst reducing your energy use and helping the environment!
Stargazing in one of the beautiful green spaces Sheffield has to offer
Why not head to one of your local parks or favourite sunset spots and enjoy the beautiful view of the city with less light population? With a clearer sky due to those taking part in the event, you will be able to see more of the stars, making it the perfect night for some stargazing.
Volunteer at a local opportunity
There are so many volunteering opportunities to choose from in the area around the university: join the conservation society in one of their volunteering socials such as the clean up of Blonk Street River last week, meet new people at allotment society, volunteer with a local organisation such as Action On Plastic, or even volunteer at Whirlow Hall Farm and be around some adorable animals.
Hosting a creative, eco-friendly event with your friends
Earth Hour is the perfect time to mix being creative and sustainable. Host a mini swap shop with some friends or head to the Student Union’s swap shop and trade some of your clothes. You could even do some upcycling by making some clothes or art with materials from second-hand shops or using old fabrics.
Earth Hour reminds us that a lot can happen to the environment in an hour. The area of 1,631 football pitches of forest can be lost, over 4.6 million tonnes of CO2 are emitted, and the Greenland ice cap is losing an average of 30 million tonnes of ice an hour.
With small changes, you can start to make a big difference in the fight against the climate crisis and come up with fun and creative ways to do so.
