New Delhi, 26 March 2020: For over a decade, monuments, historical buildings and landmarks across the country have celebrated Earth Hour by switching off non-essential lights for an hour on the last Saturday of March. Earth Hour and Lights Out became the global symbol of a binding resolve to protect and conserve our planet. As world grapples with Covid19 pandemic, forcing nationwide lockdowns across the globe, Earth Hour 2020 is set to be celebrated digitally. From social media challenges to adding Voice for the Planet, Earth Hour 2020 is urging people to come together to pledge to protect the planet and it’s amazing and varied biodiversity.
We live in a connected world and here social distancing is not social isolation. Even in this time of social distancing we can join millions of fellow citizens, celebrities and icons to celebrate EARTH HOUR and take a pledge to save our planet. From the confines of your home participate in the interesting melange of activities that WWF India has put together. From being Voice for the Planet to switching off non-essential lights, the Earth Hour Kit at www.earthhour.in will provide you with many options of what can be done this Earth Hour while being at home:
Be the Voice for the Planet: Inspired individuals can take their GIVEUP pledge and lend their voice for the planet by recording and sharing their video message. Tell us what you will GIVEUP to give back to nature and people this Earth Hour.
Take the Step Up for the Planet Challenge: Grammy award composer, Ricky Kej has specially created a music score for this Earth Hour. We are using this score and asking you to do innovative dance moves for the planet. At the time of lockdown, this will not only provide a window for physical exercise but will also bring out the creative juice in you. Click here to see how to participate in the StepUpForThePlanet Challenge https://www.earthhour.wwfindia.org/step-up-for-the-planet.php
Discover the GIVEUP Warrior in you: Each one of us can do simple things in our daily lives to be GIVEUP Warriors and we have created special GIVEUP characters for Earth Hour 2020. who have taken it upon themselves to inspire a better planet. Check them out and discover the planet superhero in you!
Earth Hour Quiz: Take the Earth Hour Quiz and brag about your score on social media. At the end of it, if you didn’t already know them all, you’ll learn a little more about the planet and share the knowledge with others.
Switch Off: And yes don’t forget to Switch Off! Yes, on the 28th March 2020 between 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm and share with us what you did during the hour as a family. Remember to share your switch off pictures and preferably videos and we shall tell the world how India came together to switch off and switch on for the planet. Share your pictures and videos on social media tagging us @wwfindia
The Earth Hour campaign, the largest grassroot global campaign on conservation by the WWF network, has always endeavoured to bring conservation issues to the forefront by engaging governments, leaders, businesses and civil society. The simple act of switching off lights for an hour has led to bigger changes around policy at a global level. In India, the campaign takes forward the GiveUp to Give Back initiative through Earth Hour 2020, in an effort to build awareness and engagement around the need to give up excessive consumption and move towards a more sustainable lifestyle for the planet and its people.
Speaking about Earth Hour 2020, Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF India, said, “These are challenging times and WWF India stands united with the country and the world in our resolve to fight the spread of the Covid19 virus and protect our planet and people. We believe this is the time when the importance and linkage of Nature and biodiversity to our existence and well-being reaffirms itself. Let us use this time to reflect on how we can GIVEUP wasteful consumption to give back to nature and people. We urge you to observe Earth Hour from the safety of your homes and stay safe!”
Going digital with Earth Hour will bring out the creativity in us. Creativity in times of a lockdown. We at WWF India also hope that it will make people think. Think about the future and the choices they will make to preserve the future for generations to come.
About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is WWF's flagship global environmental movement. Born in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown to become one of the world's largest grassroots movements for the environment, inspiring individuals, communities, businesses and organizations in more than 180 countries and territories to take tangible environmental action for over a decade. Historically, Earth Hour has focused on the climate crisis, but more recently, Earth Hour has strived to also bring the pressing issue of nature loss to the fore. The aim is to create an unstoppable movement for nature, as it did when the world came together to tackle climate change. The movement recognizes the role of individuals in creating solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges and harnesses the collective power of its millions of supporters to drive change.
About WWF India
WWF India is committed to creating and demonstrating practical solutions that help conserve India’s ecosystems and rich biodiversity. Marking 50 years of conservation journey in the country, WWF India works towards finding science-based and sustainable solutions to address challenges at the interface of development and conservation. Today, with over 70 offices across 20 states, WWF India’s work spans across thematic areas including the conservation of key wildlife species and their habitats, management of rivers, wetlands and their ecosystems, climate change adaptation, driving sustainable solutions for business and agriculture, empowering local communities as stewards of conservation, combatting illegal wildlife trade and inspiring students and citizens to take positive action for the environment through outreach and awareness campaigns. WWF India is part of the WWF International Network, with presence in over 100 countries across the globe.
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