OFF with their lights! Tonight 8:30pm is Earth Hour!

The Red Queen famously pronounced “Off with their heads!” Well, the World Wildlife Fund says,

“Off with their lights! At 8:30pm! Saturday March 27 2010!”

For tonight anyway, turn out your lights at 8:30pm and join an international movement of people in over 120 countries and 50 states as together we turn out the lights in a call to action on climate change. Certainly to be the largest mass action ever, families like mine are turning out the lights tonight for one hour or longer because we care for our planet and our future.

Watch a slideshow as Earth Hour sweeps across the globe at EarthHour.org. More than 1200 landmarks including the Sydney Opera House, Bird’s Nest Stadium, Great Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, Niagara Falls, Mount Rushmore, and the Golden Gate bridge will all be going dark for EarthHour!

Although your lights may be off, you can still share your experience and your concerns with others by tweeting #EarthHour and uploading photos and video on the site. You can follow the global conversation in real-time here.

Tonight the world comes together to show we’re ready and willing to make the switch to a low carbon economy that protects us from dangerous climate change. This will be our third year participating! Will you?

Just in time for Earth Month, here’s more information about the impacts of climate change, understanding your carbon footprint, and tips to living green.

Impacts of Climate Change

1. Because of climate change, the loss of Arctic sea ice is destroying the habitats of polar bears and walruses, threatening their survival.
2. Because of climate change, In the Caribbean, warmer temperatures are skewing gender ratios of sea turtles, undermining the stability of the species.
3. Because of climate change winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing could become a thing of the past in many areas of the US.
4. From trout fishing in Montana to waterfowl hunting in Arkansas, many recreational activities enjoyed by Americans are at risk from climate change.
5. Most of us will experience climate change in the form of extreme weather: floods, droughts, heat waves and stronger storms and hurricanes.
6. Globally, climate change is causing glacial melt, sea level rise, loss of Arctic sea ice, increased insect infestation, wider spread of diseases and extreme weather events.

Understanding your carbon footprint

1. Most greenhouse gases are caused by the burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation and transportation.
2. Deforestation is another major driver of climate change, responsible for more carbon pollution than the entire global transportation sector.
3. A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of carbon pollution produced.
4. Simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint include: walk more, use public transportation, only buy what you need and recycle.

Tips to living green

1. Purchase energy efficient appliances. They cut carbon pollution and save you money!
2. Make sure your dishwasher and washing machine are always full before you run them as this will save energy and money
3. Weather-proofing your home is a great way to save energy. Caulk your doors and windows, add insulation or add shades to use in the summer!
4. Leaving your computer for awhile? Put it on stand-by & it will take less energy than shutting down and restarting
5. Fix leaking faucets. The constant drip wastes water, energy and money, so repair them as soon as possible.
6. Eat more veggies! On average, it takes nearly 10 times as much fossil fuel to produce animal protein compared to plant protein
7. Unplug appliances and phone charges when they aren’t in use. If they’re plugged in, they’re drawing energy and costing you money.