Thursday, March 25th 2010
PETER GOFFIN
OPINIONS EDITOR
“Hey everybody, let’s go get turned off!” No, you don’t hear that sentiment being expressed very often. But on Mar. 27 at 8:30 at night, millions of people around the world will be doing it. It’s Earth Hour, a green initiative founded by World Wildlife Fund Australia in 2007 to raise awareness of energy use and reduce energy consumption. Since its inception, the event has spread to over 4, 000 cities across 88 countries. Last year, more than 50 million people participated.
Of course, the common question that arises amongst the rest of the world’s population is, “What do you do for a whole hour without electricity?” It’s a valid concern. And considering you have decided to observe Earth Hour and turn off all of your household electrical appliances, you have a couple of choices. One is to sit alone in your house with the lights off and gaze psychotically at a fixed point on your wall, repeating some mantra to yourself over and over again (“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” comes to mind). Or you can make the most out of self-imposed electricity ban, get out, see people and have some blackout fun. There is a growing trend toward celebrating Earth Hour, rather than merely enduring it. Blackout parties are springing up all over the country as environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and good old-fashioned hard-core partiers are all seizing this unique opportunity.
To many, Earth Hour is more than an environmentally conscious act of self-sacrifice; it is an excuse to throw a themed party or a chance to reconnect with family or friends without the distraction of TV and computers. Taking a quick look around at what others have done and are doing to celebrate the event shows just how many possibilities are out there.
There’s always the option of holding your regular Saturday night university party by candlelight, but you can also go one step further. Shot in the Dark Mysteries, a Toronto company that sells role-playing party games online, is offering so-called “mini-murder mystery” scenarios to be played out at murder mystery parties during Earth Hour. Furthering the environmentally friendly cause of the day, Shot in the Dark Mysteries will plant a tree in the name of each person who purchases a mystery scenario.
Alternatively, if you are of a more domestic persuasion, you could throw a dinner party with a green theme, which doesn’t necessarily mean loads of broccoli and spinach. WWF’s activity guide suggests serving dishes made up of locally grown or fair trade foods, cooked using little or no electricity. In fact, Earth Hour’s founding organization has a whole host of suggested pastimes, including making your home or neighbourhood more eco-friendly. They propose that people spend the electric-free hour installing more efficient appliances, weather-proofing your house, or even picking up garbage in the streets and parks around where you live.
There really is a lot to do. Earth Hour doesn’t have to a passive event. So give the hour a shot. You might find it’s out of sight. And not just in the sense that it will be too dark to see.
Hey, Did You Know?
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Hey Peter, thanks for pointing people to the Earth Hour Mystery – it was incredibly successful this year, and each person who bought a game will receive an email when their tree is planted. You’re right, there is really so much to do for Earth Hour – cities organize public events now, so it’s not even a sacrifice anymore, but a social event!