Want To Save Our Planet? Take The Earth Hour Challenge This Saturday

While all of us cannot be as enterprising as Felix Finkbeiner, the 13-year-old German school boy that has spearheaded a global eco campaign, we can still help reverse global warming trends with small things - Like switching off all lights and electronic devices for an hour, which is what hundreds of millions of people all over the world are planning to do from 8.30-9.30 on Saturday, March 23rd, in celebration of Earth Hour. Believe it or not, this minor action will go a long way in helping global warming.

First proposed by the Australian Chapter of the World Wildlife Fund in 2007, Earth Hour began as a regional movement in Sydney, with just 2.2. Million households and 2,100 businesses turning off their lights. This small sacrifice resulted in conserving 10% of the electricity consumed by the city in a normal hour - the equivalent of saving the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by 48,000 cars in 60 minutes.

This revelation made an impact on so many people across the globe that in 2008, over 50 million from over 5,000 cities joined in and the numbers have only been growing since. Today, Earth Hour is the largest voluntary environmental event in the world, one that is even observed by famous city landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Opera House in Sydney.

Now, the organizers are challenging people all over the world to go beyond the hour - That is, make small lifestyle changes all year, so that we can all help reverse global warming, more effectively.

Some are pledging to give up meat for a whole year or at least one day a week, others by going paperless for an entire school year. Are you up for the challenge? If so you can begin by setting aside your television and electronic gadgets for an hour this Saturday and then maybe continuing the same action or something else on a regular basis, for the rest of the year.

If you do decide to do something, be sure to sign your pledge at earthhour.org so you can inspire others to join too! And, don't forget to spread the word around so that everyone can do his or her share in saving our planet - One light bulb at a time!

Resources: Earthhour.org.