If you are using a 75-watt bulb and switch it off for an hour, you will save 0.75 kilowatt-hours of energy use. Can you imagine what switching off of all your lights and unnecessary appliances for an hour can do?
Tomorrow, March 27, one of the biggest global grassroots movements will once again take place to urge and unite people to protect the environment — the Earth Hour.
The DNA of the Earth Hour movement: Switch off your lights for an hour on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 8:30 pm your local time.
This year’s campaign theme is “Speak Up for Nature”. Keeping that in mind, Vietnam’s celebration is all about promoting initiatives on community building and developing a sustainable economy and integration with nature.
Vietnam’s campaign this year will focus on communications activities via social networking platforms, fully taking advantage of cutting-edge digital technologies.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the events jointly organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will be mostly carried out online to ensure everyone’s safety and to minimize the further spread of coronavirus in Vietnam.
Over the years, we’ve switched off our lights in solidarity that helped draw public attention to climate change and the overall changes (mostly negative) our planet has been facing.
Country Director of WWF-Vietnam, Van Ngoc Thinh, said that from growing the movement of Earth Hour to telling the world about it, WWF’s dedicated communications corporate partners have played a major role in making every Earth Hour campaign bigger and better year after year.
This is Vietnam’s 13th year taking part in the meaningful Earth Hour Campaign. And the government sector has been giving its support to make a bigger difference by urging organizations, individuals, families, and businesses to save energy by simply turning off their lights and other non-essential electrical devices.
In fact, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Minister Tran Tuan Anh emphasized the Vietnamese government’s efforts in building a green economy for a sustainable environment.
In addition, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An said in a report by Vietnam News Agency, 63 Vietnamese cities and provinces have responded to the campaign, as compared to ten years ago, when only six localities responded to the campaign.
Even the private entities are pitching in. Many luxury hotels and resorts across the country have implemented activities in response to the Earth Hour 2021 campaign and are joining the nationwide lights-off event. Azerai Resort Can Tho and Azerai Ke Ga Bay will also switch off their lights and appliances to save energy.
During last year’s Earth Hour campaign, the country did not just call for efficient use of energy but also the reduction of plastic use. Raising public awareness to increase the use of renewables to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Vietnam, along with its people, hopes to join hands with over 200 countries to create positive results in raising the public’s awareness about environment protection and sustainable development.
Join the “Virtual Spotlight”
This fight doesn’t just involve us in Vietnam, or them in the US, or them in Sydney where all this started in 2007. This is a global initiative, we need each other.
Earth Hour goes far beyond the symbolic action of switching off - it has become a catalyst for positive environmental impact, driving major legislative changes by harnessing the power of the people and collective action.
If you plan to stay in, which is the best idea given the danger of going outside, take part in Earth Hour Organization’s first-ever “Virtual Spotlight”.
It’s pretty simple. On the night of Earth Hour, the organization will be posting a must-watch video on all their social media pages — and all you have to do is share it.
“Whether you share it with one person or one hundred, you'll be helping us place the spotlight on our planet, the issues we face, and our place within it all,” Earth Hour Organization said.
According to their website, this year is so much more important — 2021 presents an unmissable opportunity for change.
“In a few months time, world leaders will come together for the 15th meeting of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Kunming, China to set the environmental agenda for the next decade and beyond.”
This means crucial political decisions will be made on climate action, nature, and sustainable development –- decisions that will directly affect the fate of humanity and our planet for years to come.
There has never been a more urgent time to protect our planet but now. Now more than ever, it's our time to play an active part in addressing these issues.
To recall what the past year has done, the world witnessed devastating fires, droughts, and extreme weather conditions as a result of rising global temperatures, with scientific reports stating that the years 2016 and 2020 tied as the warmest years on record.
“With enough public support, this conference could be the conference where we secure an international commitment - signed by world leaders - to end nature loss and put our planet on the path to recovery by 2030,” reads the Earth Hour Organization site.
The organization further expressed that by speaking up for nature this Earth Hour, we can put the spotlight on our planet and spark global conversations on the need for change, building momentum and a "domino effect" that directly influences the direction of this crucial United Nations Biodiversity Conference in a few months time.
One last point, in case you didn’t know, turning off your lights can help reduce carbon emission and other harmful greenhouse gases. It will also help reduce the use of non-renewable resources that are harmful to the environment.
We only have this planet, we’ve got to do something to save this one. Before it’s too late.