Come one, come all! If you’ve always planned on going green and saving the planet, there’s no better time to start than this March 29th weekend!
Earth Hour is an initiative that is growing to be a worldwide phenomenon. Every year, hundreds of million of people around the world take part in supporting Earth Hour by shutting off their lights and committing to candlelight with no usage of energy for a whole hour. In that one hour alone, hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide emissions were saved from going into the atmosphere.
So, how can you observe and do your part to save the earth? Here are 10 energy saving ideas that you can practice, not just during Earth Hour but on a daily basis to make a bigger difference in the environment.
1. Turn off your lights
This one easy! It is what Earth Hour is all about after all. When not needed, turn off the lights in your home. Or if you must, keep only one light on, like the hall light and keep your kitchen, room and bathroom lights off to save energy.
2. Unplug your electronics
Earth Hour is not just about turning of lights in your home, it is also about conserving energy. Unplugging the electronics in your home is a good way to conserve energy.
3. Have a cold meal
It takes energy to prepare and make a hot meal and that energy consumed means carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. During Earth Hour, make a cold meal of salad, sandwiches or more. One cold meal a day can greatly reduce the amount of carbon footprint that you have and also help keep you healthy.
4. Turn off the air conditioning
It is totally understandable why Malaysians require turning on the air conditioning to cool our homes – given the heat we face but what most Malaysians are not aware of is that the air con is the third largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the world. So turn off the air con for an hour during Earth Hour and conserve energy.
5. Gather up your recycling
During Earth Hour, help conserve energy by gathering up everything in your house that can be recycled so you can take it to the nearest recycle depot the next day. Recycling helps save thousands of tons of carbon dioxide every day, so it is important to recycle whatever you can to help save the earth.
6. Replace incandescent bulbs with CLF bulbs
CFL bulbs not only use only about one-fifth of the energy that a typical incandescent light does, it also last up to ten times longer.
7. Talk to your neighbours
Turn your lights off, step out of the house during Earth Hour and chat with your neighbours. Get to know each other a little better and observe Earth Hour together — the more the merrier right? Make it a block-wide initiative that serves as an example to the rest of your community.
8. Go for a walk
With all the lights switched off in your neighbourhood, going for a walk with your family can be a great experience. With less lights, you will get to see more stars in the sky and develop a greater appreciation for the outdoors.
9. Use the dishwasher
If you have to do the dishes during Earth Hour, use the dishwasher. Many people find this odd but an energy efficient dishwasher not only use half the energy and one-sixth of the water than washing dishes by hand.
10. Plant a tree
Quite possibly one of the easiest and best things you can do besides turning off your lights is planting a tree. Tree planting does not only brighten up an area but it provides a habitat and removes carbon dioxide from the air and replaces it with oxygen.
Doing all these things or even some of them in celebration and support of Earth Hour can save a lot of carbon dioxide. Mother nature is ours to save so do your part! Share with us your energy saving tips – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
