To the Editor,
Last year in my first months of residency in Ukee, as Earth Hour approached, I saw there seemed not to be the attention here paid to the movement that I had seen and participated in other cities, including Vancouver. I was somewhat surprised, given Ucluelet is so embedded in nature and so many here are in the outdoor surrounds and so environmentally aware.
I set about getting a local initiative going and all I spoke to were on board. For whatever reason it did not in the end get noted across Ukee as it could have been. This year we can do more: Earth Hour will happen Saturday, March 22 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., when 180 or so countries will "switch off" for 60 minutes.
This has a staggering impact in energy saving, even for that short time. Of course, this is done with safety as a first concern, so only some lights are turned off or dimmed in both a symbolic and real switch off. Getting on board for the planet can be done at many levels. I am still tickled by candlelit dinners I have had on Earth Hour day, at home and in restaurants.
Earth Hour may not be as well known as Earth Day (April 22), but it was conceived in 2004 in Sydney, Australia by the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) to build environmental awareness in a quick and easy way.
Earth Hour 2025 could be the biggest ever. A strong showing of Ukee residents this year would be wonderful. There are many ways to enjoy and learn from this 60-minute switch-off, like playing board games by candlelight or sharing comments about environmental issues, like Howlers did last year with their big board.
My late father was an "early adopter" and was always switching off lights. This Ukee resident will be there in solidarity and hope many others switch off on March 22.
S Fuller,
Ucluelet
