Legarda: Small Acts Can Heal The Earth

Senator Loren Legarda today encouraged everyone to participate in this year’s Earth Hour on March 24, between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m., stressing that even small acts like turning off lights when not needed can contribute greatly in healing our planet.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience and UNFCCC National Adaptation Plan Champion, said 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,” said Legarda.

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

Moreover, 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.

“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 we can significantly contribute to protecting our planet. Beyond that, we can take the lead in environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation programs,” Legarda said.

The Senator also encouraged everyone to go beyond the Earth Hour and join 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,” Legarda concluded.***