Earth Hour has been held every year on the last Saturday of March since 2007. It was initially created by WWF and its partners to raise awareness of climate change, with the first event being a light-out night in Sydney. In recent years it has become a global movement where people around the world come together to show their support and care for the planet we all call home.

This year that hour falls today, on Saturday 27th March between 8:30 and 9:30pm. People from countries all over the world will unite to show they want a better future for our planet by turning out their lights. There is a particular focus this year on how we can live more sustainably in our day to day lives. We have gradually become a generation who want quick and simple access to things and we have therefore developed a throwaway culture. Clothes, technologies and generic household items get thrown out or become obsolete when they are no longer in ‘fashion’, their disposal being regulated by trends rather than whether the actual item is still fit for purpose. Earth hour gives us time to reflect on our choices, what is really important and how our actions impact on the world every day.

It can seem very daunting to think about the future of our planet, especially when we are seeing changing climates and increasing natural events/disasters, declines in biodiversity, and high levels of pollution. Last year in particular gave us a stark reminder of the consequences associated with our continued exploitation of animals and has forced us to completely change our lives to prevent the spread of this horrendous virus. Unfortunately if we continue to encroach upon and destroy wildlife habitats, we will force species to come into closer proximity with human populations, thus increasing the likelihood of further global pandemics breaking out in the future. As a single person living in a world of billions it may seem overwhelming to think about these large-scale issues. You may wonder how the small acts or changes you make in your day to day lives will actually have a positive impact. However when we add all our small actions together we can actually create a big difference.

I felt incredibly overwhelmed a few years ago when I first started to look at my lifestyle, the ways in which it impacted the planet, and how I could begin making changes. I literally had no idea where to start! So I started small and took on one thing that I knew I could achieve; I switched out my 6 packs of bottled water from the supermarket for one eco-friendly reusable bottle. At the time there weren’t that many companies making reusable bottles, however now it has become common practice among many of us and we are spoilt for choice!

My second switch was to using long-life shopping bags. I remember that I was working at my first job in a department store when the UK government first introduced the 5p carrier bag charge in an attempt to reduce single-use plastic bags. It’s safe to say there was a negative response to start with. Many customers complained and became rude when I had to enforce the 5p charge and as someone who was about to go off to university and study wildlife conservation, I struggled to see why they wouldn’t want to help reduce the impact of plastic pollution on our environment. In those 7 years since I left that job, the majority of us now have car boots full of long-life 20p carriers or tote bags. So when we stop and think about it, we have actually come a long way already. We have shown that it is possible to make those changes one step at a time and it has been amazing to see how people’s attitudes have changed. It is also fantastic that there are now so many companies producing plastic-free alternatives and there has been an increase in the amount of shops specifically selling environmentally friendly goods.

I guess making changes to a zero waste or more sustainable lifestyle is the same as everything really. At first we are reluctant to change our ways and can find it difficult to know where to start. However when we break the larger problem down and start looking at individual solutions instead, it can actually be fairly simple. In many circumstances too we are actually reverting to how people lived in the past, using paper bags instead of plastic or buying loose fruit and veg instead of those encased in a plastic packaging at the supermarket. Not only does this help us to save money and reduce our environmental footprint, but in many ways it also supports smaller businesses, something else that has become even more important as a result of the pandemic.

Since that first step of buying a reusable water bottle, I have gradually begun making other small changes, some of which I have detailed below. But first I wanted to mention the term zero waste. This term has become increasingly used over the past few years and is perhaps most commonly associated with the eradication of plastic related products and packaging. However a clearer definition is this:

When we look at this definition, we can see just how broad this concept is. Every time you recycle a glass jar, paper envelope or tin can, you are helping to reduce waste. Simple tasks such as switching the tap off whilst cleaning your teeth, turning off electrical appliances when not in use and disposing of dish water on the garden instead of down the drain can all contribute to reducing wastage.

There are still many changes that I would like to add to that list, but as I mentioned earlier we cannot change everything all at once. We all have different circumstances and priorities, so whilst it is important for us to consider our impact on the environment and on other communities around the world, it is important we create a balance that works for us as individuals and meets our budgets too. For example one of the things that has stopped me from making some changes is that I am still using products that are considered to be single-use plastic or non-biodegradable. There is no point switching to a zero waste alternative when it involves throwing away a perfectly usable product. Instead I continue to use it and research eco-friendly options which I can replace as and when the time comes.

Additionally there are some eco-alternatives out there that are quite pricey and certainly not affordable for someone who has just started their own business! Unfortunately until eco-friendly manufacturing processes become the norm, the cost incurred during the production stage will remain high and therefore push the cost of the products up for us when buying. However as customers we have a lot of power when it comes to our shopping habits. The more we look into sustainable and eco-friendly options, the more alternatives we will be shown (thanks to those advertising cookies that never seem to be disabled!). As we slowly begin to support the companies that work ethically and sustainably, demand will increase and in turn push other companies to try and make those changes too. Once it becomes second-nature, the cost of products will begin to reduce and become affordable to a wider audience. Obviously there is a lot more technicality to it than that, but we have to start somewhere!

For now though we can all do something small by participating in Earth Hour. I am going to spend the hour in my attic studio where I have some solar powered lights, turn off my devices and write down some ideas and goals for my business.

I have put links to the references I used to gather some of the information for this blog down below for anyone who would like to find out more. I have also included links to some of my favourite eco-friendly product suppliers, including a local shop that I recently discovered! The bottom link takes you to a podcast that I have been listening to called Speak Up For Blue and this episode from 24th March talks about going zero waste.

Thank you for reading and Happy Earth Hour!

References

Join One Of The World's Largest Movements for Nature | Earth Hour 2021

Earth Hour 2021: How you can get involved | WWF

Zero Waste International Alliance – Creating a World Without Waste (zwia.org)

A few places where you can shop for eco-friendly alternatives:

Peace With The Wild | Eco Friendly & Plastic Free Products

Eco-Friendly Gifts to Protect the Planet | Eco Gifts

Eco | Bare Planet | England - for anyone living in or near to Grantham, Lincs, this is our local minimal waste shop which I have just recently stumbled across!

Podcast link:

‎Speak Up For The Ocean Blue: How To Start Going Zero Waste on Apple Podcasts