Earth HourOn March 28 at 8:30 p.m., the Lopez Group will join the rest of the world in switching their lights off for one hour to raise awareness for planet Earth.

Earth Hour, as the event is called, began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, as a push for climate change action. Participants switched off non-essential lights from 8:30 to 9:30 in their local time zones “as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.”

This year, the theme of Earth Hour is “Change Climate Change.”

Lopez Group Foundation Inc. leads the initiative within the Lopez Group by displaying a streamer in front of Benpres Building, the main corporate headquarters, for a whole week. It is also distributing a banner design for printing and display by other Lopez Group companies in their respective areas.

Beyond Earth Hour, there are a few things we can do every day that will help ease the burden on our planet:

Think efficient. Energy efficiency should be on top of our list when shopping for such appliances as electric fans, air-con units and the like. Go with the brands with the highest energy efficiency range or products bearing the Energy Star sticker.

Go solar. Solar panels are this near to becoming commonplace to the point that one can find enterprising Pinoys selling these by the roadside. They may be somewhat pricey still, but the investment will be worth it to the point that looking at your reduced electric bill actually brings a smile to your face.

Turn it off. Our parents’ favorite reminder still applies today—turn off the lights when you leave a room. But first, make sure you’ve switched to compact flourescent or LED lights.

Drive true. With road construction projects going on all over the metro, you might as well take the train or bus, or even walk, to save yourself from the stress of having to drive. But if you really can’t avoid it, schedule your errands and be more mindful of the way you drive—not only can unnecessary acceleration and high speed driving reduce mileage by up to 33%, it also contributes to increasing your carbon footprint. (Story/photos by Carlos Garcia Campos)