10 years after the world’s first Earth Hour in Sydney put climate change in the spotlight, WWF’s landmark movement is set to once again unite millions of people around the globe to shine a light on climate action. As the planet continues to witness climate records being broken and the need for greater ambition and commitment accelerates, the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment is mobilising individuals, communities and organisations globally to do their part to help change climate change.

Starting in 2007 as a single-city event, Earth Hour is now celebrated across all continents. In the past decade, as global climate efforts gained momentum, Earth Hour has helped bridge the gap between the grassroots and the corridors of power, taking climate action from conference rooms to living rooms. It has empowered millions to support and participate in critical climate and conservation projects led by WWF and many others, helping drive climate policy, awareness and action.

From the shores of Argentina where Earth Hour helped mobilise public support for the creation of a 3.4 million hectare-wide marine protected area, to the heart of Uganda where local communities and businesses helped create the first Earth Hour forest, the movement’s impact has been a game-changer for popularising climate action.

“We started Earth Hour in 2007 to show leaders that climate change was an issue people cared about. For that symbolic moment to turn into the global movement it is today, is really humbling and speaks volumes about the powerful role of people in issues that affect their lives,” said Earth Hour Global Executive Director Siddarth Das. 

“Every flick of a switch or click online is a reminder that people see themselves as an integral part of climate action and it is this kind of collective determination we need to tackle the most pressing environmental challenge our planet has ever faced.”

In 2017, WWF and Earth Hour teams around the world will be using the movement to shine a light on the climate issue most relevant in their country or region. In Europe, as the European Union negotiates on crucial climate and energy policy for the period leading up to 2030, WWF will use the Donate Your Feed platform to mobilise public support- and their Facebook posts – to call for a clean, renewable energy future for all. In Brazil, people will be invited to join forces to protect one of the country’s many biodiversity hotspots from climate change while citizens in South Africa will raise their voice for renewable energy and in China WWF is working with businesses to encourage a shift toward sustainable lifestyles.

Earth Hour Sri Lanka is calling on all Sri Lankans to take a stand against climate change and to preserve the natural resources of our beautiful country. Through traditional and social media, the campaign aims to shine a light on the positive actions Sri Lankan’s can take both as individuals and as communities to change climate change and help protect our country’s incredible natural resources.  

When asked about what actions individuals can do to be part of this global campaign, the local Earth Hour Country Manager and Coordinator, Abdul Qadir Uvais had this to say; 

Earth Hour Sri Lanka is asking the government, businesses, organisations and individuals to:  

Switch off non-essential lights (corporate signage) on Saturday 25 March from 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.  

Join the movement by signing up and taking part at https://www.earthhour.org/join-the-movement

Spread awareness about climate change issues and solutions! Please visit www.earthhour.org for more information!  

Go beyond the symbolic gesture of switching off non-essential lights for Earth Hour and drive climate action throughout the year, leading an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

“Depending on where you may be, climate change has different faces or impacts but the reality remains the same: the time to change climate change is now,” added Das. “Our actions today will define tomorrow – WWF’s Earth Hour shows us that together we can create the sustainable future we desire, and our children deserve.”

“Growing up, we have all had dreams about our future, and the children of today are no different. But their dreams for tomorrow depend on our actions today. Therefore we urge you to join us to #ChangeClimateChange and help shape the Future of our Children and our Beautiful Country – Sri Lanka,” added Uvais. 

Earth Hour 2017 will take place on Saturday 25 March at 8:30 p.m. local time. Log on to www.earthhour.org to know more and read additional stories and individuals using the Earth Hour movement to shine a light on climate action. This is our time to change climate change.

Otara Gunewardene supports Earth Hour Sri Lanka

Otara Gunewardene, a renowned Sri Lankan entrepreneur and the Founder of ODEL and Embark, pledged her support for Earth Hour Sri Lanka for the fourth consecutive year. Otara was nominated as a brand ambassador for Earth Hour in 2014 and since then, she has inspired thousands of Sri Lankans to join the Earth Hour initiative. 

As a supporter of Earth Hour, Gunewardene calls upon all individuals, businesses and local communities to participate in Earth Hour’s monumental ‘switch off’ on Saturday, 25 March between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. local time and to go beyond the symbolic switch off, with a commitment to protect the environement and natural resources in our daily lives! 

Commenting on the importance of Earth Hour, Gunewardene stated, “Last year was the hottest year on record and Earth’s average temperature is increasing faster than ever before. It is time to take action. Let’s make a pledge to protect our plants and trees and to do our bit to reduce, reuse and recycle. Let’s go beyond the hour. Do not think for a minute that you alone cannot make a difference, it is the little things that we do together that will make a big impact.”

Gunewardene is focusing on spreading awareness about the importance of Earth Hour online and she is creating a call to action across all of her social media platforms. Additionally, she will deliver a video message which will highlight the current environmental issues that are being faced and she will stress how imperative it is to address them by protecting the planet. 

When it comes to going beyond the hour, Otara and the Embark team have put a series of sustainable initiatives in place at their office. An outdoor meeting room and lunch room have been set up and these spaces require no electricity and use only natural sunlight. Bees, butterflies and birds pollinate more than a third of everything we eat and play a vital role in sustaining the planet’s ecosystems, considering this an outdoor butterfly garden has been created to ensure the survival of various butterfly and insect species by providing them with a safe haven to gather, seek shelter and find food and water. The Embark work space design also maximises the utilisation of daylight and makes minimal use of light bulbs. Throughout the entire Embark office, paper is reused and recycled. The office computer settings have set to turn off when they are not in use and the brightness settings have been reduced across all the machines.

Commenting on Otara’s support for the cause, Earth Hour, Sri Lanka Country Manager Abdul Qadir Uvais stated, “Earth Hour is about the power of an interconnected global community that comes together to drive real action for the future of our planet.  It’s an honour to have Otara supporting the initiative once again and we look forward to working with her to inspire others to join the global Earth Hour community.”