Give future generations a fair chance at a good life

Give future generations a fair chance at a good life

Earth Hour is a symbolic representation of the fact that we care for our planet! Greenhouse gas emissions have multiplied with the increasing stress on natural resources. Be it the increasing population and urbanisation or just human mismanagement and greed, there is a growing imbalance in Nature, amply reflected as climate change, globally. It needs to be corrected urgently before it brings our civilisation to its knees.

Earth Hour is one such step. To create awareness among each one of us that ‘something’ needs to be done. Development and Nature’s conservation needs to go hand in hand. We would live better as a result and our future generations, too, will have a fair chance at a good life!

I will switch off our non-essential lights tonight for an hour starting at 8.30pm. I will also try create awareness among my family, friends and peers regarding the same.

Every year, the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) and the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa) tell us how much savings of power resulted from that one hour of primetime conservation by us!

By participating in the Earth Hour, I become part of a global solution for sustainable living.

From Ms Pratima N. Pandey

UAE

We need to do more

Initiatives like Earth Hour, clean up campaigns and marking World Environment day are inspirational to those who love Nature. Such drives help remind people about the delicate nature of our world that we live in. However, often such campaigns end up being just a token effort with awareness created in a fragmented manner. It is ironic that we always talk about developments, global trade expansions, and upping manufacturing outputs - all of which impact our environment with incremental carbon footprints.

Sadly, the proportions between human activity on Earth and conservation efforts do not represent our commitment. It is like a delicate balancing act, so when it requires us to choose between development and environment, a few regulations are not good enough. It must be a matter of our preparedness to forsake material advancement for the benefit of Mother Nature. In this respect, we are not doing enough. We are marking our calendars to just involve in token programs.

From Mr V. I. Mohammad Sageer

Dubai

A constant effort from everyone

Do you think Earth Hour, which is once in a year will change anything? No. What we need is more challenging solutions and that means upsetting a lot of people. There is no need to have global policies that are a farce, anyway. The solution lies in education and reinforcement all the time.

I use my lights only when required, I use fresh air when the weather permits, I use water sparingly, I use ‘dry cleaning’ for washing my car. It has to be a daily and constant endeavour and effort from all of us to save our planet from destruction. Good luck to all of us.

From Mr Ajit Lamba

Dubai

Teaching the next generation

Earth Hour is a message for the next generation to enlighten them about the importance of preserving energy for the coming generations. My family and I are also planning to observe Earth Hour as usual this year. Sitting in the candlelight for an hour is not a big issue, but preserving energy for an hour can conserve a lot of energy, which will spread the message to all people around us. Furthermore, we are getting a chance for remembering the experience of our ancestors who fought with Nature, lived without electricity or air conditioners.

From Dr Shereef H. Mohammad

UAE

Getting youth involved

With Dubai surging forward in every field, we certainly aren’t getting left behind when all other countries celebrate Earth Hour. Dewa organises tonnes of activities for children and adults before and after most of the country switches off their electrical appliances for a designated hour.

Miracle Dynamos is a youth volunteer group that I made to work on humanitarian and environmental causes. For the past three years, we have been honoured to join Dewa in their efforts. As a youth group, we know that it is us who are going to bear the consequences of environmental disasters and we also know that it is only us who are going to have to work towards preventing those environmental disasters.

From Ms Disha Bobby

Dubai

The need of the hour

While the annual, much awaited Earth Hour has arrived, there is an essentiality to know what to do during the hour and what really happens. It is extremely interesting to know that this hour not only asks people to turn off, but it also encourages people to start nurturing Nature in unique ways. It’s motivated by this crowdsourcing event, through activities such as recycling, planting trees or distributing LED light bulbs on the day of the event. Last year, I celebrated Earth Hour with the Emirates Environmental Group, where the Earth Hour walk was sought after by students, officials and communities alike. As the founder of ‘Serve The Earth’, an Initiative for Mother Nature, I also held an online contest asking people to post ‘before and after’ pictures of any steps that they may have taken to become more energy efficient. I encourage all readers to participate in and/or organise campaigns and events like these to spread the message of the hour.

From Mr Rohan Kapur

Sharjah

Educate others

In the modern world, most of us have maids or use a maid service in this country. Without knowing the impact of conservation, wastage is inevitable. I urge all to educate their house cleaners on economising water and electricity consumption. If we educate those who use a lot of water and electricity in these types of jobs, by teaching them to accumulate a set of clothes and wash them once in three days as opposed to washing them every day, electricity and water consumption will reduce dramatically. Educate cleaners to switch on the water heater only when needed and not keep it on for many hours before a bath will reduce electricity substantially. Switching on the lights one hour later and switch off the lights one hour earlier, will have a great impact in the long run. The list is endless and so are the benefits.

I have educated my house cleaner. Have you? Please do before it’s too late.

From Mr Ramaprasad Macharlu Srinivasamurthy

UAE

Always work to conserve

Celebrating Earth Hour is a good idea to unite the people to protect the Earth from global warming. I have been celebrating it with my family for the past a few years, when it was implemented in the UAE. But, I don’t know how many people keep this promise throughout the year, because we are remembering it only on the day.

I can see many showrooms in the UAE still using countless fluorescent lamps instead of the latest LED lamps. Furthermore, can we protect the planet by switching off the lights? I have noticed many times as people use numerous paper towels when they use public restrooms. Many people think that when you are getting something for free, there is no limit for the use. They might be used to using one or two towels if they are at home.

Joins hands to save our Earth for the next generation.

From Mr Abdul Jaleel M. V.

Dubai

Save our environment!

My own personal concept for Earth Hour and every day is: Save electricity, save the environment! I am very happy to participate in Earth Hour. If the whole world will save electricity for just one hour, that will make a very large impact on our environment. Earth Hour is an innovative idea to encourage people to save power. This event will encourage the current generation to teach the necessity of power. Every day in my life, I try my level best to save on both electricity and water. Let us all take the necessary steps to save our environment!

From Mr Thiruvallur Palani

UAE

Too much consuming

We follow Earth Hour, but when it comes to global politicians and bureaucrats, they misuse the system. People commute with so many cars, they are wasting a lot of energy and, in turn, release emissions. People are lavishly spending money and energy that could have been avoided.

From Mr Naresh Gupta

UAE

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