(Lack of) Power Hour

Last weekend marked the first ever global "Earth Hour" an event that started last year in Sydney, Australia as a way to demonstrate how much energy can be saved by turning the lights out for one hour. Over 300 cities participated in the event worldwide.

"Earth Hour" was approximately 8 p.m. RMST and many businesses in the Denver/Boulder area showed their support; participating restaurants, for example, served candlelight dinners. A friend of mine told me that a government building in downtown Denver that turned off its lights for one hour saved energy equivalent to the amount that six homes use in a year. 

If anything, the event served to promote the idea that there are many simple ways we can minimize our impact on our planet, whether it be in our homes or out in the field. In other words, proactive programs such as these, and Leave No Trace for that matter, are threads of a much larger tapestry of sustainability.

For more information about this specific program, visit: http://www.earthhour.org/