– Diane Strandberg
Alison Ferguson doesn’t think she’ll change the world by switching off her lights for an hour this Saturday. But the Port Moody mother of two young daughters thinks she’ll feel pretty good when she snuggles up to read them a story with a flashlight under the cover of darkness.
“It’s more of a symbolic gesture,” says Ferguson.
But there could be a significant environmental payoff in reduced demand for electricity if millions of individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world turn off power-sucking equipment, appliances and lights.
From 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, people are expected to cut their power usage in a World Wildlife Federation initiative to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
Earth Hour was started in Sidney Australia in 2007 and some 2.2 million people participated.
“It’s also a sense of community, there’s other people doing this, too,” Ferguson commented.
Her business partner, Meaghan Relkie — the two sell green household products from their online store Every Little Bit — will be participating in Earth Hour, too. They’re selling wind-up flashlights for families who will be in the dark this Saturday.
The two think it shouldn’t be too hard to switch off the power for one hour because their kids are small and think an hour with their parents in the dark is a lark.
It might not be so easy for older children to be convinced to turn off the video games or TV. For them, playing a board game or eating a special meal by candlelight while discussing the reasons for Earth Hour may be a way to pass the time.
• For a list of ways to green your home, check out www.bchydro.com/guides_tips/green-your-home.html; for more information and ideas for Earth Hour, visit wwf.ca/earthhour/.
dstrandberg@tricitynews.com
Tags: wind-up flashlights
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