Turn off your lights for World Earth Hour 2012!

In the dark about World Earth Hour? You’re on the right track!

Hundreds of millions of people, businesses and governments each year unite across the globe to support the huge environmental event that is Earth Hour. For one hour a year, the world is urged to Switch Off. Lights, printers, computers, home equipment, televisions… anything that can leave its trace on the Earth’s atmosphere is shut down for just 60 minutes. Join the climate change revolution between 8.30 and 9.30pm tomorrow, Saturday 31^st March, and make your stand on this inspirational day.

The WWF-sponsored initiative began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, and since then has continued every year to unite more-and-more supporters across the globe. The aim? To not only show support for climate change action, but to raise awareness of sustainability issues among corporate businesses and individuals worldwide, and to encourage world governments to act. In 2011 alone, more than 5200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched their lights off for Earth Hour, which has sent a powerful message out for action on climate change.

So what can we do to help?

1. Before leaving the office, why not take the time to shut down your computer properly, as well as any attached printers, and disconnect from the plug.
2. Make sure that all your colleagues get into the habit of doing the same. Lead the charge!
3. Communicate, communicate, communicate… tell your clients, partners, suppliers, colleagues and anyone else in your office block… spread the message! The more people who receive the information, the more the message will spread and be listened to.
4. Go to the website at http://www.earthhour.org/. There is LOADS of information on what you as an individual can do to support the initiative.
5. Remember, Earth Hour might just be for 60 minutes, but go ‘beyond the hour’ and carry on the good work. On The Earth Hour website you can read inspiring stories from across the world about the efforts, small and large, of different nations to spread awareness about global warming.

And remember – it takes 200 litres of water to produce one latte. How many cups of coffee do you have a day? Why not take a day off tomorrow. Although our office isn’t open on a Saturday, we at Charity Challenge are going to ensure that anything electrical is unplugged before home time this evening. Do the same, and encourage your friends and colleagues to join you!

To learn more about all our charity challenges, and find out how else we get involved with responsible tourism. Please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com, and to keep up to date on all our challenge news, subscribe to this blog by clicking on the orange RSS button, you can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.