Hello friends,

Happy Earth Hour to all of you. I hope and am sure that all of you would have celebrated Earth Hour in your own ways, expressing solidarity to the world's largest environmental event, meant to protect the planet.

This year, I celebrated Earth Hour by being a part of Earth Hour UK celebration at The Bullring, a famous landmark and a major commercial area of central Birmingham. As this is a major shopping complex so is usually heavily lit but for the Earth Hour, all it's non-essential lights were switched off and it presented a very dim lighted complex, to support Earth Hour.

All the world's most famous landmarks are plunged into darkness for one hour every year. This switch-off is being undertaken in aid of the Earth Hour campaign which encourages people from around the world to switch off their lights for an hour at 8.30pm to help ease the effects of global warming. The event, run by the World Wildlife Fund, aims to raise awareness of the fragility of planet Earth and how everyone has a part to play in reducing the impact of energy consumption.

Our University's iconic clock tower 'Old Joe' also switches off its light in support of Earth Hour. The University joined iconic landmarks in Birmingham and the World for the big switch off including, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Westminster Palace, the London Eye, the National Museum Cardiff, Principality Stadium, National Waterfront Museum, Caernarfon Castle and this year even UK Parliament turned off the lights for Earth Hour 2018.

I would like to share with you a bit about the 'Old Joe' clock tower so that we can appreciate that it means a lot for 'Old Joe' to switch off its light for Earth Hour. Built in 1900, the clock tower at the heart of the University's Edgbaston campus is the tallest freestanding clock tower in the world and nicknamed 'Old Joe' after Joseph Chamberlain, the University's first Chancellor. The tower is 110 metres high – just higher than Big Ben in London – and is based on the Mangia Tower in Siena, Italy. It is said that the tower was the inspiration for J R R Tolkien's 'all seeing eye' in the Lord of the Rings series.

Here is a small poem by me, dedicated to the EARTH HOUR.

 

Make a promise for the planet on this Earth Hour;

It's a time to show our youth power.

For no eco-act is small;

When it is done by most or all.

Come together to support the amazing CAUSE;

For an hour, put your Lights to PAUSE.

Let's act to turn this symbolic moment;

Into an impactful global movement.

Make a promise for the planet on this Earth Hour;

It's a time to show our youth power.

 

The worldwide push is designed to get individuals and businesses to get thinking about the pressures we are putting on the world around us, animals and the atmosphere. The idea is to turn off all electronics during this period, ... The idea is to turn off all electronics during this period, in the name of nature.

It has become very debatable lately as some people feel that it is ironical and wastage of time and resources during Earth Hour. I, personally, feel that it is important to appreciate its significance and do something simple and meaningful aimed at protecting the environment, supporting the planet and conveying a strong positive message. Our celebration is to express our solidarity to the cause. Our aim should be to make it meaningful and not make it a big, gala, pomp and show event. That's why I try to make it impactful every year on Earth Hour, Earth Day or World Environment Day. One of the previous Earth Hours, I had pledged to do regular candle-lit dinners with family and we, as a family have been following that. I try to plant trees on each of the afore-mentioned significant days and of course on my birthdays too.

This year, I wanted to adopt another meaningful step in the direction of saving energy and protecting the planet. So, I searched on the internet and came to know that UK Households are using twice as much energy as needed for laundry by operating their washing machines at 40 or more than 40 degrees. Six in 10 are keeping their washing machines running at high 40C temperatures, using more than double the energy they need. That's despite huge improvements by detergent makers to enable washing at cold temperatures.

The study found that if every household in the UK turned their washing from 40C to 30C for one year, it would save carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to powering 1,550 homes for an entire year. If every household in the capital switched from 40C to 30C it could save enough power to rotate the London Eye 2.3 million times. 

Thus, after reading all this, I discussed it with my mother who takes care of laundry and washing machine, at our home. We set our washing machine cycle permanently at 30 degrees (by storing this setting in the memory) and it is agreed that henceforth, our washing machine will run at 30 degrees. Here is our/family's commitment to the planet. What is yours? I am eager to read all of your reports.

One promise from a person might seem like a small step, but the collective power of many people making small adjustments can have a genuine impact.

Of course, I celebrated it on social media too by changing my profile picture, cover page and promoting Earth Hour and Eco Generation on not only my own Facebook page 'Ecoholics' but also on the pages where I am the in-charge/have posting rights like 'Save the Mother earth' and 'Green Dream Earth'.

 

#EarthHour #Connect2Earth #EcoGeneration

 

References/Sources:

https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/commons/media-relations-group/news/earth-hour-2018/

http://www.buzzmag.co.uk/features/earth-hour-food-feature/

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/when-what-2018-earth-hour-12772566

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/washing-machines-energy-consumption-laundry-uk-households-renewable-electricity-a8270561.html

http://metro.co.uk/2018/03/23/earth-hour-2018-take-part-7408943/