Watching Our Water Ways

If you don’t have it marked on your calendar, Saturday at 8:30 p.m. marks the start of Earth Hour, when people around the world turn off their lights for an hour to show their concern for climate change.

This is my fourth year to commemorate Earth Hour, and I look forward to the quiet time. I see Earth Hour as a big event, because it is happening throughout the world, but also as a small event, because it is so simple.

Last year, the event’s sponsor, World Wildlife Fund, added a new element called the “I will if you will” challenge. The video-based challenge calls for individuals or groups to promise to do something worthwhile (sometimes big) if a lot of other people will do something else worthwhile (usually easy). You should check out some of the videos.

This year, I must also congratulate our Salish Sea neighbors across the Canadian border, considering that Vancouver, B.C., was named “Global Earth Hour Capital.”

Six finalists were named during this first Earth Hour City Challenge. Besides Vancouver, the other finalists were Forlì, Italy; New Delhi, India; Oslo, Norway; Uppsala, Sweden; and San Francisco, USA.

In announcing the winner, Jim Leape, director general of WWF-International, had this to say about Vancouver:

“Local governments around the world are striving to create attractive, smart cities while tackling a multitude of urgent environmental challenges. Vancouver can serve as a role model for how cities can engage residents in these efforts, thereby accelerating the transition towards low carbon development.

“I applaud Vancouver’s vision and innovation. More cities everywhere need to find inspiration in the bold initiatives of Vancouver and the other finalists and build on them, bringing climate action at the scale and speed necessary to secure sustainable, attractive lifestyles for people across the planet.”

The city was recognized for its “impressive transportation strategy” along with its food and neighborhood energy plans. For example, all new buildings in the city are called on to be carbon neutral by 2020, when more than half of the trips by residents are to be by foot, bicycle or public transit.

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Earth Hour is this Saturday beginning at 8:30 p.m. The annual event is a chance for everyone on Earth to connect with everyone else by turning off their lights for an hour.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve found the symbolic event to be an enjoyable time for sitting quietly in the dark with a few candles and discussing with my family what we can do as individuals, joining with others, to make this a better world.

As others have said, all important movements start with small actions. I like Earth Hour, because one is joining something both big and small. It’s big because it is taking place throughout the world. It’s small because it is such a simple thing.

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Here’s a quick reminder that Earth Hour is Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. I’ve found it to be an enjoyable hour of sitting in the dark and talking to my family about what we can do as individuals, joining with others, to make this a better world. It also saves some electricity.

As I explained when I decided to join this demonstration two years ago, all important movements start with small actions. By taking part in Earth Hour, one is joining something both big and small. It’s big because it is taking place throughout the world. It’s small because it is such a simple thing. Review Water Ways from March 25, 2009.

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I guess if Earth Hour is good enough for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Kitsap County commissioners, it’s good enough for me.

I was going to ignore this so-called demonstration, which is supposed to show that all of us can address the problems of climate change and together make a difference. Just a waste a time, I thought.

Then I realized that all important movements start with small actions. I talked to my wife Sue about it, and we decided that it wouldn’t hurt us to turn off our lights for an hour on Saturday night. We would be part of something bigger than ourselves. See the national Web site for Earth Hour.

I found myself agreeing with statements by the U.N. Secretary-General:

“Earth Hour is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message. In New York, we will switch out the lights at U.N. Headquarters. Other U.N. facilities around the world will also take part.

“I urge citizens everywhere to join us. Please send a strong message on climate change. Together we can find a solution to this most serious of global challenges.”

In a unanimous resolution (PDF 76 kb), the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners “encourages the participation of all Kitsap County citizens.”

Other governments, including the city of Seattle, also are participating.

If you’d like to join me and millions of others in this symbolic event, you may register at a Web site called “Washington State Earth Hour.” Click on the map to register and check out who else has placed his or her name on the line.

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