Minister urges people to switch off lights during Earth Hour on Mar 24

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : “Tomorrow, on March 24, 2018, as we celebrate Earth Hour, I will switch off all non-essential lights in my office and residence from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm in support for action against nature loss. I urge you to do the same,” said Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan, on March 23.

Making an impassioned appeal to people to switch off all non-essential lights from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 24 to mark the Earth Hour, Dr Harsh Vardhan has made a strong pitch for taking a pledge to ‘Give Up to Give Back’ and Connect2Earth.

“The campaign should be seen as an opportunity to adopt a shifting of the consumption culture and behaviour change towards sustainability, helping economise operations and reduce the costs,” Dr. Vardhan said.  He added that GIVE UP is a choice that is needed to make smarter decisions for the nature and deliver a long-term impact.

The Minister emphasized that observing Earth Hour is also a part-n-parcel of the Green Good Deeds movement in which every individual ought to take small, voluntary green actions to protect and conserve the environment and the Earth.  Dr Vardhan exhorted the people to undertake one Green Good Deed every day – such as plant a sapling, segregate waste, cycle to work or use carpool, stop using plastic.

Earth Hour is the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment where citizens around the world unite to take a stand against climate change by turning off non-essential lights for one hour. Earth Hour is a global initiative of the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature India with a record participation of 178 countries and territories around the world.   This year, Earth Hour will be observed on March 24 from 8:30-9:30 pm, according to a PIB release.

On the occasion of Earth Hour 2018, WWF-India is launching the ‘Give Up to Give Back’ initiative to inspire organisations, institutions and individuals to make the choice to curb some habits, practices and lifestyles that burden our lives and the environment.

“Give Up to Give Back” and Connect to Earth campaign includes taking steps such as: Give up single-use plastics as theyare fast filling up our oceans, rivers and landfills, give up fossil fuels and go solar, carpool to work with colleagues one day each week as a Carpool Day,  give up e-waste, and give up excess use of paper.