WWF’s Earth Hour is so much more than just an hour
It’s also a reminder to us all that we need to look after our planet.
The way we live has impacts that we can’t always see or haven’t experienced directly. From extreme weather changes such as flooding or drought, to food shortages, the loss of species and deforestation.
So Earth Hour is not about saving an hour’s electricity, it’s much bigger than that. It’s about realising that the actions we take, from the energy we use, to the food we buy and water we drink, has an effect on the world. We all depend on our amazing planet and need to look after it – not just for an hour a year, but every day. Here are some simple steps that you can take right now to reduce your impact.
Healthy eating for a healthy planet
If we adapt what we eat slightly, we can make a positive difference for ourselves and for nature. The food we eat – growing, producing and importing it – has a massive impact not just on our health but also on the health of our planet, from the Cerrado savannah in Brazil to the forests of Borneo.
Food is responsible for 30% of the UK’s CO2 emissions. Five simple steps can make a difference.
Reduce your energy demand
Changing the way you use energy is relatively easy and something you can do every day as a lifestyle choice. We can reduce energy demand – making our homes more energy-efficient is a good start.
And we can clean up the energy supply – using more wind, solar and wave power, and making sure remaining fossil fuel plants are as clean and efficient as possible.
Rio+20 – “The future we want”
The 2012 global UN Conference on Sustainable Development (known as “Rio+20”) is an opportunity that happens only once every 20 years, Governments, organisations and people from around the world come together to reaffirm their commitment to a sustainable future for our planet.
Measure your footprint
Chris Martin BAHR/WWF-Canon
The way we use the planet’s resources makes up our ecological footprint. Measuring yours takes less than 5 minutes and could set you on a life-changing journey… And have a look to WWF’s top ten ways to reduce your ecological footprint.
