Earth Hour: Make It A Family Affair

With April just around the corner, many families and educators turn their sights toward Earth Day. But have you ever heard of Earth Hour?

What is Earth Hour? Celebrated in March every year since 2007, millions of people across the world switch off their lights for one hour to celebrate their commitment to the planet. While largely a symbolic gesture, it provides a great, tangible teaching moment for children and an opportunity to bring environmentalism into your home.

When it started, participants were asked to simply turn off their lights for the hour, but the movement has expanded in recent years. Their website now includes a platform to encourage community building and to allow environmental projects from around the world to seek needed donations.

Make a Difference
If you’d like to get involved in Earth Hour or environmental activism with your children, there are several simple ways you can get started:

• Pledge to turn off your lights tonight and spend that hour plotting how you can help better the earth. Or join a planned event in your city!
• Search for an environmental project your family would like to support with a monetary donation.
• Join Earth Hour’s Instagram Challenge and show how you’re a superhero for the planet.
• Stop by your local library and borrow some new books for the family. Pick up tips for things you can do and draw inspiration from others. Here are a couple of recommendations to get you started:

Books For Kids

• The EARTH Book by Todd Parr. A simple picture book for young children that stresses the importance of taking care of our planet and small efforts we can make to make a difference.
• Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace by Jen Cullerton Johnson. A story honoring Wangari Maathai’s legacy of environmentalism and activism in Kenya. Maathai was the first African woman and the first environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Rohmer. Short, inspirational stories of 12 modern conservationists making a difference across North America.

Books For Parents

• Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder and Learning in Natural Environments by Richard Louv. Learn for yourself why direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development. 

With Spring officially under way, there's no better time than now to get outside, get your hands dirty, and start teaching your kids how to care for our planet. Why not start tonight?