I turned off electricity for 24 hours on 21^st March 2015. So do other people in Bali, except for those who were in hospital (in case of emergency). No one in Bali traveled around and worked (tourists and foreigners are no exception). The airport and harbor were closed started from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning. Why we did it? What happened in Bali? Well, I am gonna tell you the story behind it.

Bali has been had a tradition of saving energy trough Nyepi Day since 2000 years ago. The day becomes public holiday in Indonesia. Nyepi Day in Bali is a New Year's celebration unlike anywhere else on the world. In 2015, the day fell on March 21. Known as Bali Day of Silence, it is ultimately the quietest day of the year, when all of its inhabitants obey local rules that brings all routines to a complete stop. The rituals of Nyepi are performed as follows (1) Amati geni: no fire or light, including no electricity (2) Amati karya: no working (3) Amati lelungan: no travelling and (4) Amati lelanguan: fasting and no revelry/self-entertainment. At the same time, the authorities banned radio and television transmissions. The roads all over Bali are void of any traffic and nobody steps outside of his or her house or hotel. Only local securities were allowed to go outside for patrolling. Since it is quite, the only sounds are dogs, roosters, insects, birds, and the wind. If you live near the river, you can hear the water tumbling and stream. This is the best day to live without pollution and noise.

According to State Electricity Company (PLN), Bali reduced the use of electricity approximately 60% on last year Nyepi. The saving was expected around 290 MW or Rp 4 billion. This year, PLN expect Bali reduce the use of electricity at least 50%. Besides, Bali Environment Agency (BLH) reported that during Nyepi, the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) in Bali dropped to 375 parts per million (ppm), edging toward the 1990 global GHG emission baseline, which was 360 ppm. Reductions also occurred in methane, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other polluting substances, showing the significant one-day contribution of Nyepi to the island?s air quality standard.  On that day, carbon dioxide emissions in Jembrana, the area known for being the route for large, heavy trucks and buses heading to and from Gilimanuk Port fell 80% from normal days. It was the highest reduction among cities in Bali.