Although it doesn’t look like it, the first day of spring has come and gone. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and the air is filled with the sweet fumes of fossil fuels. It’s pretty disgusting, but yet people seem less motivated than ever to address the issue.
To those reading this, possibly only a handful knew of the Earth Hour that took place on 29 March, between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM. Even of those who were aware, only a handful participated. Earth Hour is a worldwide event that promotes saving electricity and the environment. Globally, there are seven thousand participating cities. And this may seem like a lot, but it really depends on how many people participate. And frankly, the turnout (or alternatively turn-off) this year was shocking.
Compared to the original 15 per cent participation back in 2007, Toronto Hydro has reported only six per cent of the population of Toronto actually turned off their lights that night.
Perhaps the other 94 per cent were afraid of the dark, or couldn’t live one hour without sending their friends a text. It goes to show how dependent we have become to electronics, to the point that we will neglect the only environment we have to avoid giving them up.
Although Toronto is not the worst city (with a whopping 0.1 per cent decrease coming from Abbotsford, BC), six is still a relatively low number.
So, Earth Hour has passed, but it isn’t the only chance to do something. Simple things like recycling and putting away trash still make a difference. The easiest way to help the environment is to go out and kick a ball around; turn off your electronics and so that one day the air we are breathing will be cleaner.
