Legarda urges public to join Earth Hour

Senator Loren Legarda said Friday that small acts matter as she urged the public to participate in this year’s Earth Hour set on March 24, between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Legarda, chairperson of the Senate committee on climate change, said even a simple act of turning off lights when not needed can contribute greatly in healing of the planet.

She added that by participating in the Earth Hour, “we are showing our commitment to create more sustainable and resilient communities.”

“We all know that our home planet is not in its best state due to global warming. Turning off unused lights and other electrical appliances for an hour may seem too insignificant to change the world, but if all of us, the billions of citizens around the globe, will do it, the impact would be immense,” she said.

She said in 2017, a total of 187 countries and territories joined in the observance of Earth Hour and 3,100 landmarks and monuments around the world switched off their lights.

She added during the 2017 observance of Earth Hour in the Philippines, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) recorded a 165-megawatt reduction in the maximum load throughout the country’s power grid.

Legarda said saving on electricity, using low carbon technologies, conserving water, eating local food, planting more trees, reducing waste, among others, are just some of the simple ways by which the public can contribute to protecting the planet.

She said beyond that, the public can take the lead in environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation programs by joining the rest of the world in efforts to save energy, reduce carbon emissions and raise awareness on sustainability and environmental challenges.

“The Earth Hour proves that we are capable of doing something to protect our planet. It proves that small acts, when put together, create big change. I hope that what we can do for an hour, we can also do everyday until environment-friendly practices become part of our routine, until we adopt a low-carbon lifestyle,” she said. — BAP, GMA News