Earth Hour: Time, Theme for 2019, and Everything You Need to Know

Earth Hour returns today as people, communities, and businesses around the world turn off the non-essential electric lights for one hour, from 8:30pm to 9:30pm, to show their commitment to the planet. Like every year, Earth Hour 2019 falls on the last Saturday of the March. It is not a simultaneous event and the Earth Hour time depends on your local time, and the participants around the world will switch off lights when it is 8:30pm in their local time. Read on to find out everything that you need to know about Earth Hour.

What is Earth Hour?

Organised each year by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Earth Hour was started in 2007 as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia. It is a symbol of the everyone's commitment to planet Earth and why nature matters. The Earth Hour has grown since its inception and over 180 countries and territories participated in last year's Earth Hour.

“We live in an interconnected world. Every action we take impacts life around us, and increasingly those impacts are harmful. Our ever-growing demand for food, water, and energy is changing the climate faster than predicted—and it comes at a cost for wildlife, wild places, and people everywhere,” WWF writes on why Earth Hour matters.

By switching off their lights for one hour, the Earth Hour participants show their support for not just the climate, but for rivers, for wildlife, for forests, and for oceans, each of which has been massively impacted by human evolution. Over the years, landmarks and historic sites like Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building, and Buckingham Palace have gone dark to mark the hour. Many of these landmarks are expected to do the same today as well

Earth Hour 2019 theme

This year's Earth Hour theme is #Connect2Earth. “Earth Hour 2019 with its campaign ‘#Connect2Earth' aims to build mass awareness on why nature is important and create an unstoppable movement for nature similar to when the world came together to tackle climate change,” wrote Sid Das, Director of Digital Engagement, WWF International, in a blog post.

Earth Hour in India

Like every year, the individuals and communities in India will be celebrating the Earth Hour by going dark at 8:30pm. As per media reports, several organisations, businesses, celebrities, politicians, and power companies are participating in this year's Earth Hour. According to WWF India website, the organisation is also running #Bee4ThePlanet campaign to mark Earth Hour this year.

What can I do during the Earth hour?

In addition to switching off the electric lights to mark the Earth Hour, there are several fun activities that can be organised to spend the hour. The WWF recommends taking a hike, spotting the landmarks that are participating in the Earth Hour 2019, and hosting a candle-lit dinner party for friends and family. Additionally, the organisation points out that it will be a good time to check out the stars, giving the comparably less light pollution.

Let us know in the comments if you are participating in the Earth hour this year.