Will You Switch Off?

I don’t want to come across you guys as a hysterical doomsayer. Seriously, I don’t. That’s why I never promote money-sucking doomsday sects or Brangelina’s adopting another baby from Africa. However, like it or not, this very planet Earth we live in needs our full attention; even more urgently now than it has ever been. “Change” may arguably be the word of this era; it’s so totally cool. But not “climate change”.

In December this year, leaders from all around the world will gather in Copenhagen (that’s the capital of Denmark, in case you forgot) for the UN Climate Change Conference, which includes a conference of the parties to UNFCCC. According to the Bali roadmap, the meeting will produce a global agreement to replace the almost-expired Kyoto Protocol.

Then you ask, “What can I do? I’m not a government bigshot who will swoosh there to debate and sign stuffs!”. Well, that’s not the only definition of action.

Earth Hour 2009 will be held this Saturday, March 28, 2009, from 8.30 to 9.30 PM in your local time. This is where you can act: switching off unessential lightings and appliances, if not all, is a sign that you support the well-being of our common home Planet Earth and, of course, mankind. Just a flick, that’s all; you don’t have to live in a cave to do good. Your switching off, along with more than a billion’s from all corners of the world, serves at least two purposes.

One, it raises awareness about the current state of our Earth and how people are trying to once again live in harmony with the planet. Obviously, no one can ignore the whole world throwing itself into darkness, right? Questions will be asked, and answers will be made, knowledge broadened. When the message gets through billions of people, it will bring about the change we have been hoping for, for the sake of Earth.

Two, it serves as a reminder to our policymakers that we, as fellow Earthlings, want sustainability to accompany the progress the world will make for its future. It’s no good to have towers of gold when islands are sinking, food crops are not growing, and rivers are drying. No matter how far human civilization has come, environment will always play an essential part that we cannot do without. Our willingness to turn off the lights will tell’em to formulate the best stuff they can for Earth.

I’m going to switch the lights off this Saturday. Thousands in Jakarta are going to do the same thing. The Governor has pledged to turn off several landmarks in the city during Earth Hour, including the towering National Monument. Millions, or probably billions as the target says, will also turn off the lights. How about you? One billion ain’t one billion if one is missing.

If you do switch off, it’s all up to you to have fun in the dark. Have that rare family conversation, gaze at the magnificent sky, catch up on sleeping, (temporarily) free your mind from Facebook, whatever! Yes, have fun!

More information is available from http://www.earthhour.org/ and Facebook groups (seriously, where else?) Then again, the internet is yours to explore, so get clicking and find out!

Show your support http://voteearth2009.org