Join this Weston Eighth Grader in Observing Earth Hour

Editor's Note: Weston Middle School eighth grader Talia Gifford wrote the article below urging her fellow residents to take part in Earth Hour on Saturday, March 23.

Stop. Remember that Valentine’s Day card you got? Remember that birthday present from Grandma?

We have the ability to create almost anything we wish: cards, gifts, houses, cities. We can move around via car, plane and boat. We have light in the darkness and power for our factories. Most of the time, we take these things for granted. Maybe, just for an hour, once a year we could stop and realize: I didn’t create that piece of wood that makes up my desk. I didn’t make that oil powering my car. I didn’t even go out and collect it. Someone else did. From Earth’s natural resources.

Earth Hour is one simple hour out of a whole year of hours – a total of 8,760 hours, in fact – designated for us to pay attention and say thank you. It is a chance to show our appreciation for our planet by turning out all unnecessary lights – not lights you need - just unnecessary lights. For one hour.

Earth Hour is a global movement uniting people to protect the planet. The initiative encourages individuals, businesses and governments to show leadership on environmental solutions through their actions. It is organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF); WWF Australia is one of Earth Hour’s founders. Earth Hour got its start when, on March 31, 2007, more than 2.2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses in Sydney, Australia, turned their lights out for one hour in the first Earth Hour event.

For the last six years in late March, Earth Hour has brought together communities from across the world to celebrate a commitment to the planet by switching off lights for one designated hour. In 2013, it will take place from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time around the world on Saturday, March. 23.

I am asking the people of Weston to join me in observing Earth Hour on March 23, 2013. Turn off all unnecessary lights and use the opportunity to be environmentally conscious generally. Consider questions like, "How much paper am I throwing away instead of recycling?" and "Can I remember to turn the lights off when I leave a room or the house?"

It is important for us, just once a year, to slow down and appreciate everything we were given. In our daily lives, we are so busy looking to the future, to that next business deal, to that new car, we don’t realize we were given a planet.