So what exactly is Earth Hour you ask?
Earth hour was started by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 2007 in Sydney and has since grown into a global movement that encourages individuals, businesses, and governments to take action on climate change and other environmental issues. The theme for this year is #TimeOutForNature - you can read more here.
In a nutshell, “...make the time - whether it’s 60 seconds, 60 minutes or beyond the hour - to reflect on the incredible benefits nature provides us and create a better future for people and planet. Whether you’re an individual, school, business or community, together, let’s take TimeOutForNature this Earth Hour” (WWF, Earth Hour, 2023).
In this blog post, we will share some ideas for sustainable activities you can do during Earth Hour 2023.
Candlelight Dinner
How about hosting a candlelight dinner? Use sustainable and organic ingredients and reusable tableware. Let’s also use the day to support our local businesses. In preparation, why not enjoy an outing and go foraging through one of our lovely farmers markets. We are spoilt for choice for this one! Find out all about the markets running this week in Queensland, New South Whales, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory.
Games with Family and Friends
We Australians love our games be it the weekend sport, to do something as social or other. Give us a game and we are down! Both physical and quiet games are enjoyed by both adults and children. Have a family or friends game night with board games or card games that do not require electricity. The fun and banter around the table will carry you around the table for quite a few days! Here’s a few fun ideas to play with friends, family or kids.Nature Walk
We live in a country filled with endless possibilities of entertainment and they include adventure sports and other activities and sometimes just walking that only requires your hiking shoes and a pair of comfortable activewear. Equipped with a flashlight, you are all set for an evening of stroll through your neighbouring streets. Or do a short drive to a spot you always wanted to visit at night. You may find like minded people around you!
Go for longer trails if you are feeling adventurous! Night trails are great, giving you the opportunity to enjoy nature at its best with the stars gazing down at you and the quietness enveloping you. We at Wear Organic love our night trips especially starting off at twilight watching the sun go down and darkness settling around you. If you are planning a hiking or bushwalking expedition through nature during Earth hour, we recommend you check out Trail and Summit’s safety tips here.
Stargazing Party
Host a stargazing party and learn about constellations and the night sky. Find a spot and catch some stars, who knows, you may even spot some falling stars or meteorites. Don’t forget to carry a night picnic basket filled with goodies and a rug to lie around in. Share the awe and of course goodies with friends. A general barbecue will do as well if you want a more boisterous one, but don’t forget to look up at the sky in between!
Read a Book or listen to a Podcast
Sometimes we all crave a comfortable corner and quiet time. Nothing like a good book or an uplifting podcast and a cuppa. So settle down with some candles or a flashlight and read that book you’ve been wanting to read for ages or listen to that podcast that your friends have been raving about. We’ve been religiously listening to Gretchen Rubin who became famous with her Happiness Project. Listen to her podcasts here.
Movie Night
Lastly, anyone for a movie night? Although we can’t use the traditional theatre or TV, we can get creative with this. Can you get your hands on a solar battery or other sustainable power source? Though engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) did just that and hit upon something very interesting where they created ultralight fabric solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source. Read about the interesting project here!
We hope you've got inspiration and will join us tomorrow for Earth Hour with some fun ideas up your sleeves. Please stay safe and happy! We would love to know what you get up to - please share your Earth Hour pics on Instagram or Facebook, tagging #wearorganic or shoot us an email with what you got up to! We can’t wait to hear from you.
References
Earth Hour, https://www.earthhour.org.au/Fabric Solar Cells https://news.mit.edu/2022/ultrathin-solar-cells-1209
Safety Tips for Hiking https://trailandsummit.com/is-it-dangerous-to-hike-at-night/#:~:text=Night%20hiking%20can%20actually%20be,are%20prepared%20and%20stay%20smart.
Visit Brisbane https://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/the-city/things-to-do/arts-and-entertainment/heritage-and-architecture/goodwill-bridge?sc_lang=en-au