In her efforts to promote Saturday’s Earth Hour, Abby Works, a senior at Iola High School, suggests ways individuals can participate in the global awareness event.
* Prepare ahead of time. Put candles around, and make sure you have matches or a lighter. Or use environmentally friendly flashlights.
* Turn off your lights, unplug everything, turn off your TV and your computer, switch off your cell phone. Take some time to just hang out with friends, family, loved ones, or to simply chill out alone. (If necessary, you can watch the NCAA basketball tournament in the dark!)
* Go for a nighttime walk, gaze at the stars, and count all the other dark homes to see who else is participating in Earth Hour.
* Get out your board games. Read to your kids by flashlight. Make earth-friendly crafts. Play flashlight tag. Or just talk.
* Camp out in your living room. Let your kids stay up past their bedtime and build a fort out of blankets and couch cushions. Get out the flashlights and tell ghost stories or read their favorite books. If you’ve got a fireplace, have fun making s’mores.
* Enjoy a candlelit dinner or picnic. Prepare the meal in an environmentally friendly way — use a slow cooker or fondue pot, choose no-bake desserts, or make something that doesn’t need cooking — like a salad or sandwich.
* Soak. Use this hour to take a relaxing bath and just listen to some tunes as you soak away stress
Most importantly, think of ways that you can go “beyond the hour” to save energy every day. If we each make one or two small changes, we will use the “Power of One” to collectively make a difference in the world.
Tips on saving energy
