Turn off to plug in

Aussie’s lead the way
Last year when 2.2 million Sydney residents and 2,100 businesses (including icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House) turned off their lights, the world took notice. During those first 60 minutes of Earth Hour darkness Sydney managed to decrease energy use by 10.2 percent -- the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.

Chicago takes a turn
What started off as a symbolic event in one city has grown into a global movement. Now in its second year, the event sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), will stretch across major cities in six continents. Businesses and homes will switch off their lights along with iconic buildings and national landmarks. This year's flagship city will be Chicago where residents will be watching as the skyline goes black for one hour on March 29.

Unified front
Earth Hour is hoping this one hour can demonstrate the connection between energy usage and climate change and show that we can address the issue of global warming as a united community.

According to Merrickville resident Fred McFarlane: "We all have a responsibility to reduce our green house gas emissions and lessen the impact of climate change on the environment." Failure to act will only result in more severe consequences to both our natural and social environments. The Earth Hour is a means of making a statement to ourselves and to our political leaders that we need to act now, locally, provincially and nationally to make these changes."

Merrickville is just one of the small towns in Ontario gearing up to celebrate Earth Hour.

What a difference an hour can make
What will you do when the lights are off?

Earth hour has some suggestions:

Change out those old energy-wasting light bulbs to new, inexpensive and energy efficient CFL.

Turn down the heat and cuddle with blankets.

Light some candles and play a co-operative board game.

Stop energy vampires by plugging in all standalone power cords to one power strip that you can turn on and off.

Figure out five ways to cut down on your energy consumption.

Sing, dance, celebrate with friends and family.

Choose the right candle
No sense polluting your house during Earth Hour burning the wrong kind of candle. Avoid those petroleum based candles made from paraffin wax and opt for a 100 percent beeswax candles that are smoke free, non-toxic and non-allergenic. They also smell wonderful. Not sold on switching waxes? Read more about candles in our article Shedding light on polluting candles.

Safety first
The Fire & Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia offers the following tips for using candles safely in your home:

Use candles under adult supervision.

Never leave candles unattended.

Keep candles away from children and pets.

Extinguish all candles before going to sleep.

Keep away from flammable liquids and gas-combustible materials and combustible materials such as paper, curtains, clothing.

Don't place candles in windows as they can be blow over and the blinds can catch on fire.

Place candles on a stable, dry, heat-resistant surface away from drafts.

Find out what your community is doing or sign up to participate at www.earthhour.org.

See you in the dark!

Shelagh McNally is the editor of Green Living Online. She has her beeswax candles ready and waiting.