Earth Hour is an annual event created by the environmental organization WWF, celebrated worldwide on the last Saturday of March to raise awareness about climate change and promote sustainable actions. This year, on the upcoming Saturday, March 25, for one hour (from 20:30 to 21:30), lights in homes, businesses, and iconic monuments around the world will be turned off to show their commitment to the fight against climate change.

Why lights? Light pollution is one of the many environmental issues we face today, and Earth Hour offers us an opportunity to reflect on it. Many animal species are severely affected by excess artificial light. Moreover, light pollution negatively impacts our own health, as it can disrupt our circadian rhythm and affect our sleep quality, leading to multiple disorders and diseases that are increasingly common.

In addition to its negative effects on health and biodiversity, light pollution has a huge economic cost and contributes to climate change. The excess of artificial lighting mainly comes from electric power plants that emit greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), increasing our carbon footprint. Therefore, reducing electricity consumption, including lighting, can help reduce the carbon footprint and mitigate climate change.

It's important to take steps to reduce light pollution and overall energy excess, not just during Earth Hour, but in our daily lives.

Individuals and businesses alike can contribute. Businesses can conduct energy audits and calculate their carbon footprint to identify areas where energy consumption can be reduced. By implementing these measures, they can achieve significant economic savings and comply with increasingly strict regulations, improving their image, which benefits both customer perception and potential investors, and even talent retention, as more and more people are choosing companies committed to sustainability.

In summary, Earth Hour is an opportunity to reflect on our impact on the environment and take steps to reduce our carbon footprint. It is a global movement that invites us to think about the importance of caring for our planet and building a more sustainable future for everyone.