Earth Hour- To Save our Planet

Earth Hour, world’s largest environmental event organized by World Wildlife fund (WWF) will be held today between 8.30 pm-9.30 pm, local time when hundreds of millions of people in over 170 countries and territories around the world would switch off their lights for an hour to show they care about the planet.

The voluntary blackout includes 350 of the world’s most iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, Taipei 101, Sydney Opera House, Buckingham Palace, The Gherkin, Harrods, Olympia London, The Savoy, The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus and The OXO Tower.

Earth Hour is not about how much energy is saved during the hour. Rather, the event provides an opportunity to put the spotlight on the issues facing the planet and to inspire millions across the world to live more sustainably.

The annual event is held in mid to late March to coincide with the spring and autumn equinoxes. During this time of the year both the hemispheres experience sunset at about the same time.

According to WWF, worldwide participation shows people's desire to do their bit to reverse climate change. WWF say it's completely up to individuals how they take part during the hour - just as long as the lights are out!

They say: "It’s not about sitting in the dark for an hour – whether someone is enjoying their favourite book, getting together with friends for a candlelit (dinner) party or stargazing with loved ones, it’s their event too! We've even come up with a list of 60 things you can do in the dark for those in need of a bit of inspiration.

"This Earth Hour, switch off your lights and celebrate with us on 19th March at 8.30pm to show you care about our brilliant planet."

Organization also suggests several initiatives for those who want to make a difference beyond the hour. From donating funds to save the rainforests, to signing petitions against proposed laws that would be detrimental to the environment, you can do your part of the act. This year, the WWF is asking people to 'donate' an hour of their social media page to raising Earth Hour awareness.

In the UK, people will be celebrating dinner by candlelight to mark the occasion and raise vital funds for WWF’s global conservation work. Continuing from last year, Earth Hour have teamed up with Food Made Good, formally known as the Sustainable Restaurant Association, to get member restaurants and chains to hold candlelit dinners.

Last year, Earth Hour trended on Twitter globally and in the UK, with #EarthHourUK reaching over 78 million Twitter feeds. The monthly reach on Earth Hour's UK Facebook page for March was 5.6 million people.