Earth hour approacheth! And as I’m being bombarded by Facebook events inviting me to attend this great event, I’m starting to wonder exactly how we can all get involved.
The event was created in hopes of creating awareness about climate change across the world. With roots in Australia, the event has spread throughout the globe to 128 countries and territories and has expected further turnout this year. The typical participation of this event includes the simple action of turning off your lights for one hour to reduce energy consumption and promote energy conservation. Although this event is only celebrated once a year, there is a lot you can do to save your money and the planet year-round.
-Flick off the lights when they are not in use
-Turn down the heat five degrees when you go to bed, and wear sweaters on cold days instead of turning the heat up
-Crack a window in the summer instead of jumping to air conditioning or those heavy duty energy gobbling fans
-Unplug ALL appliances when not in use, you’d be surprised how much that phone charger and kettle are wasting and costing you
-Lap-tops are big consumers of energy for students, once your lap-top is charged, unplug it! When laptops are on, shut off their monitors when taking a break from all that studying/online show watching
-Solar lighting is starting to emerge with the spring weather, gather some up for your own use at home
-Avoid using the toaster, as it is one of the most wasteful appliances in terms of energy
Remember as your flicking off those lights during Earth Hour, that you can put into practice these energy saving tips all year. There does not need to be a specified time for you to flick off the lights and get together some friends to play a game of cards rather than Call of Duty, or gather around a table for drinks rather than the television.
-merissa