Earth Hour : T-minus 33 minutes

Hello, all. It's been a while since you've heard from me, mostly because I've been kind of distracted, but also because, let's face it, I've been lazy. I know I promised last time that my next blog would be my Worst of list for 2008, and I still intend to write that (eventually...), but seeing that we are well into the largest demonstration of public concern regarding climate change in history, and only about a half hour away in my neck of the woods, it seems appropriate that I at least give it a mention.

For those of you who still don't know, Earth Hour is a global demonstration where your light switch is your vote. The World Wildlife Federation wants to see every light in the world go out for one hour today to bring awareness to the global climate problem and to our constant misuse of our natural resources, and so far, the demonstration has been a huge success.

The lights today are being turned off in Manhattan, in Beijing, and in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramids of Giza, and Niagra Falls are all going dark. Even the United Nations Headquarters in New York City is taking part, shutting down at 8:30p.m. The support from the public, as well as governments around the world, has been amazing.

This is actually the 3rd year for Earth Hour, but this year is where it hits it's stride. The goal for the year is ONE BILLION people participating, and I hope that you are one of them. It is the first election of it's kind, one where your nationality is irrelevant, one where we all speak as one as citizens of the planet Earth. Our beloved planet is in danger, and it's up to us to bring it back safely from that danger. This movement is a great start.

So if you read this in time (in retrospect, I probably should have written this a week ago... oh well 20/20 and all), please, please, PLEASE turn out your lights at 8:30. If it's already passed where you are and you participated, thank you on behalf of the entire planet.

Most of you probably are reading this after the fact though, so as well as my thanks, I will also leave you with this: Earth Hour is a start, but it doesn't end here. In order to bring our planet back from the brink of peril, we must be diligent in preserving it. Continue the movement by supporting one of the many organizations that work everyday to help the environment. Here are a few URL's.

Sierra Club: www.sierraclub.org
Greenpeace: www.greenpeace.org/usa
World Wildlife Federation: www.worldwildlife.org
Ecological Conservation Organization: www.ecoconservation.org/6901.html
That should get you started. Oh crap, look at the time. 5 minutes left. Gotta get this computer off, and you should, too.

Until next time,

Clay