That’s how we plan to spend Earth Hour tonight from 8:30 to 9:30. We’ll play Scrabble, the old-fashioned non-electronic kind with tiles and a board, by candlelight.
Some people are confused. They think this is Earth Day but that’s not until next month. This is Earth Hour and it’s meant to be symbolic as much as anything. Our country has the most communities taking part – 250 or so – and the idea is to shut out the lights for that hour. The City of London will be turning off its lights and landmarks around the world will go dark to mark the occasion.
For a movement that started only three years ago in Australia, Earth Hour has truly taken off. It’s a way of saying BOO to climate change. If you can live without electric lighting for an hour, it’s easier to shut off other things you don’t really need to have on, during the rest of the year. Your participation also shows those who act on your behalf – MPs, PMs and the rest of the political forces – that you’re serious about climate change and they’d better be serious too.
So before 8:30 tonight I’ll make sure we both have reading glasses and a lot of candles on the table so we can see those wooden tiles!