Celebrate Earth Hour online during the pandemic

I so like my opening to #Connect2Earth for #EarthHour 2019 that I'm going to reuse it.

"Happy Earth Hour, when people all over the planet shut their lights off for an hour after dark."  That's me being a good environmentalist and recycling a greeting for the first special event I celebrated on this blog back on March 26, 2011, one I've observed every year, although sometimes a bit late.  That's not happening this year, as I celebrating it on time.

Like everything else, Earth Hour is being affected by the coronavirus pandemic.  The Independent (UK) explains.

This year, considering the number of people across the globe in self-isolation and under lockdown, Earth Hour is being celebrated in a slightly different way.

“We recognise the exceptional challenge that the world is facing and we thank you for your support as we try to realign our Earth Hour work appropriately,” it states on the Earth Hour website.

“In light of the latest developments the Earth Hour global organising team is recommending all individuals to take part in Earth Hour digitally this year.”

For those who would like to take part in Earth Hour, the event’s organisers are asking them to switch off their lights at home for the hour.

There are also several online events that will be live-streamed throughout the event, in addition to a “Voice for the Planet” petition you can sign “to let world leaders know that you care about nature and that you demand urgent political action to protect our planet”.

Al Jazeera English reported on the observance so far, concentrating on videos from Gibraltar, in Earth Hour marked during coronavirus pandemic.

The lights on major landmarks around the world are being switched off for Earth Hour.
The initiative, organised by the World Wildlife Fund,  invites people to think about how their lives and activities are affecting the planet.
And, as Al Jazeera's Andrew Chappelle reports, this year the coronavirus pandemic is making the event particularly significant.

I conclude with the Earth Hour 2020 Official Video - ft. "Rock the World" by The Script.

Nature is one of our greatest allies against climate change and is vital for our survival, but it is under threat. This #EarthHour, join millions around the world for the biggest environmental movement of 2020, and switch off on 28 March at 8:30pm your local time. Let’s come together this Earth Hour 2020 to #Connect2Earth and raise our voice for a healthy natural world we can all rely on. Take the first step at: https://www.earthhour.org/voice

Music Credit:
“Rock the World” performed by The Script
Used by kind permission of Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment

Stay safe at home, everyone, and, once again, Happy Earth Hour!