The Queen’s Chronicles: An Hour in the Dark

I am writing this in the dark. It is Earth Hour, a rolling blackout around the world intended as a visual, visceral vote for increased awareness and concern about climate change. In fact, it is the first-ever global vote on anything.

All of my lights are out. I can see the Manhattan skyline from the windows in my loft in Exotic Brooklyn. It is eerily dark. Landmarks and iconic buildings everywhere from the Empire State building to the Eiffel Tower, to the Golden Gate Bridge to the Great Pyramids and Sphinx went dark.

I cooked dinner by candlelight on a gas range. How many others around the world were doing the same? How many were sitting around dining room tables at home and in restaurants in the soft light of lanterns and oil lamps? How many cook and eat by a fire every night?

It is estimated that one billion folks in four thousand cities in eighty-eight countries worldwide participated in this massive project. Earth Hour is a graphic pledge to do one’s part for planetary protection and healing. I feel so connected to all the participants as we share this global ritual. For one hour, we are all one, joined in service to our mutual Mother Earth and ultimately each other.

Earth Hour can have very concrete potential consequences if everyone follows through and acts responsibly going forward. For example, if every business and household replaced just one light bulb with a compact fluorescent one, enough energy would be saved that one nuclear power plant could be taken off the grid.

We can turn this crisis around. We each need to do our part. Not just for Earth Hour, not just for Earth Day, but for every minute of every hour every day. We CAN do this. Yes we can!

With blessings to and from and for the Earth.

xxQMD