Earth Hour returned for its 18th edition with the Biggest Hour for Earth as it united millions around the world in celebration of our planet.

EARTH HOUR, the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement, returned for its 18th edition with the ‘Biggest Hour for Earth’ in support and celebration of our planet. In an increasingly divided world, Earth Hour serves as a beacon of positivity, hope, and inspiration to rally as many people as possible, particularly people who are not fully engaged with the environmental crisis yet.

● Earth Hour 2024 environmental campaign is set to shine an unmissable global spotlight on the twin perils of nature loss and climate change, by providing Guyanese 60 minutes to support and celebrate our planet.

● Under the theme of sustainability, supporters in Guyana on March 23 join over 190 countries and territories to create the Biggest Hour for Earth, part of WWF’s efforts to turn a single Earth Hour into thousands and millions of hours of action and awareness.

About Earth Hour
Born in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown to become the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement, inspiring individuals, communities, businesses and organisations in more than 190 countries and territories to take action for our planet.

Earth Hour 2024 aims to create the Biggest Hour for Earth with its call to action: “Give an hour for Earth”. It encourages participants from all walks of life worldwide to share their commitment to the planet by dedicating one hour to fun and planet-supportive activities. From learning about nature by watching documentaries to embracing eco-friendly practices and sustainable diets, there is something for everyone. This serves as a rallying cry for the unprecedented collective action needed to address pressing environmental challenges.

Earth Hour is organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

WWF is an independent conservation organisation with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

The Hour Bank
The Hour Bank is a new online interactive tool that invites everyone, everywhere, to find the most enjoyable ways to give an hour for the earth. In Guyana, Earth Hour has set a target of 1000 hours pledged for earth. Whether it is a mindful walk along the sea wall or in a nature park, feeling the earth, taking in the sounds of nature or engaging in a nature scavenger hunt to identify and swap out unsustainable products with eco-friendly alternatives, there are myriad options. The Hour Bank lists activities and events based on participants’ lifestyle interests and preferences, from food and fitness to art and entertainment.
The “Give an hour for Earth” call-to-action makes participation even easier and fun, encouraging individuals to switch off lights symbolically and take 60 minutes to do good for the planet while doing something they love. Earth Hour believes that every one of us in Guyana has the power to impact our planet positively, but it’s up to us as individuals to decide how we do so. This has led to the development of the slogan, “Your Hour Your Power”, to give people a sense of ownership and deeper meaning to the hour(s) they pledge for the earth.

This year, Earth Hour in Guyana focuses its efforts on three main activities: The Eco-Explorers Scavenger Hunt, a Nature Exhibition and the Light-out moment. These events took place on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Following the scavenger hunt, the day into night of activities conclude with a cultural event counting down to the lighting up of Earth Hour Emblem in the Botanical Gardens at 8:30 PM.

For the Scavenger Hunt, teams registered and were featured in a Senior and Junior Category. The Nature Exhibition showcased various organisations’ approaches and initiatives towards sustainability and was aimed to inspire and educate the public about the importance of protecting the environment and living in harmony with nature. Exhibits featured demonstrations and activities that highlight the benefits of renewable energy, sustainable forestry, waste management, environmentally friendly measures and more.

Guyana once again joined with over 190 countries and territories to create the “Biggest Hour for Earth” as part of WWF’s efforts to turn a single Earth Hour into thousands and millions of hours of action and awareness. Earth Hour 2024 brought together conservation NGOs. Civil Society Organisations and government agencies to shine an unmissable global spotlight on the twin perils of nature loss and climate change.

Earth Hour is more than a moment; it’s a movement that, for the last 18 years, has continued to inspire and mobilise people globally, reminding us of our collective responsibility to create a more hopeful and resilient future for our planet.

It is your hour your power.

Visit www.earthhour.org to find out how you can take part this year, and Give an hour for earth.

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For more information, please contact:
World Wildlife Funds
Communications Officer
Tel. 592-2237801; 223 7802

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.