Sitting in the Dark for my favourite planet

8:40pm 29th of 2008 and my neighbourhood looks different, not a single light is on in any house. Its EARTH HOUR. I'm sitting in my room in the dark with my laptop running on its battery and the radio on its. Earth hour, an event that was started last year in sydney where residents and businesses turned their lights off for an hour to focus on our attention global warming and the environment. It has grown this year to include 200 cities across the globe. In the next few hours other cities will have their earth hour where they will turn their lights off.

Some critics may claim that an hour of turning our lights off will make no difference to the planet. I say its very important, if nothing it brings our attention to the important issues of global warming, to an ever increasing energy crisis and to our planets health in general. All too often we take energy for granted, especially in the developed world. Events like these turn our focus on the task at hand. The need for alternative sources of energy, the need for conservation of energy and most importantly the need for sustainable development.

Another less known advantage of such an hour is it gives the romantics amongst us the chance to have a nice candle lit dinner ;)

Don't forget to turn your lights off from 8-9pm tonite :)