Earth Hour is an international movement that is celebrated as a worldwide activity by individuals, families and communities across the globe as a part of an initiative by the WWF or World Wide Fund for Nature.

    It is marked by the switching off of unnecessary appliances for lighting to symbolize one?s devotion to the planet for 1 hour.

      Many of those who take part in the annual Earth Hour may have noticed the ?60+? logo in posters or on social media. While ?60? stands for the 60 minutes spent for the betterment of Mother Earth, the ?+? sign has a more profound meaning. The sign highlights the vital importance going beyond the 60 minutes and that are green actions must remain intact and not stagnate.   

 This very green message of Earth Hour encouraged my ?We Care? group members to walk the extra mile for the benefit of our planet that sustains us.

 Hence, on the 19^th of March, I along with my group of greenie-minded youngsters took part in the regional Earth Hour event in Dubai. By 4.30 pm, a colossal crowd of environment enthusiasts gathered at the venue near Burj Khalifa. At the venue, a number of organisations displayed their green work and initiatives at stalls which were set up. A diverse variety of environmental fields, from green construction, green tech such as bicycle dynamo-generated electricity to eco-friendly transport and energy-efficient appliances, attracted crowds of participants.

It was also during this time that DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) rewarded residents for their green act of judicious use of water and electricity-natural resources that are often perceived as being Mother Nature?s ?free gifts?.

The stalls closed by 7.45 pm and by 8.00 pm, we were given candles, glow-in-the-dark caps and Earth Hour badges.

At the momentous stike of the clock at 8.30, after a countdown full of anticipation, the Earth Hour walk began and simultaneously, (most) lights went off across the entire city including the Burj Khalifa?s.

At the venue, all that could be seen was the picturesque and ccolourful sea of Earth Hour particpants with their lit up caps, candles and glowing badges as well as posters and banners commemorating #EarthHour2k16.

In my belief, for hundreds of eco-warriors, Earth Hour left an indelible impression and sense of environmentalism and responsibility towards the planet :)