On Saturday, March 28, 2009 (tomorrow), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is sponsoring an event called Earth Hour to call attention to climate change.  This is the third annual Earth Hour and the organizers are hoping that one billion people will participate worldwide.  So what will be happening?  What can one billion man hours accomplish in service to the environment?  I was imagining rallies around the globe where people gathered to hear solutions to the challenge of global warming.  Maybe groups of people picking up litter or planting trees.  Maybe letter writing sessions where people express their ideas to leaders and the media.  Maybe educational opportunities where people can learn about energy efficiency for their homes, alternative transportation in their area, and making sustainable purchasing decisions.  The possibilities are endless!

So here is what is going to happen.  We will channel the energy and excitement and commitment of one billion people and have them…sit in the dark for an hour.  Really.  If you are not familiar with Earth Hour, you may remember about a year ago when there were images on the news of unlit world landmarks.  Places like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Sydney Opera House were pictured at night with no lighting.  That was Earth Hour.  People turn out the lights in their landmark buildings and homes from 8:30-9:30pm on Saturday, March 28 around the world.

The goal of the event is to raise awareness of climate change and send a message to global decision makers.  That is a great goal and I believe that the people who are participating in Earth Hour spend a lot of time and energy working on this issue when it is not Earth Hour.  I just feel that there is a great opportunity being missed here.  We have a billion people who want to do something together to improve the environment, and we are going to have them sit home in the dark for an hour. 

Clearly, symbolic gestures can be powerful.  Tens of thousands of people gathered on the Mall in DC to stand for an issue are not actually accomplishing anything that day.  They are gathered together to show that they believe in the issue and are willing do something about it.  My problem with Earth Hour is that there is no gathering and there is no doing and the symbolic gesture is thrusting one’s self into darkness.  We are literally rendering ourselves “powerless” in the face of this global crisis.  I share the same larger hopes and goals as the Earth Hour organizers; I just would have liked to see a different gesture.  To address this challenge we are going to have to get together, make changes, and move forward.  This is going to take action and engagement!

I do not want to come across as a naysayer.  I hope that Earth Hour is a great success.  If you would like to participate, but do not feel excited about the hour of darkness, I invite you to join me for Earth Action Hour instead.  Pick an hour anytime this weekend and do something for the environment.  My eight year old daughter and I have discussed it and we are going to walk around our neighborhood and collect trash.  It is a small gesture, but one billion steps in the right direction could really get things moving.