On Saturday night, hundreds of millions of people around the world will shut off their lights in a global call to action on climate change.
Since its beginnings in Australia three years ago, Earth Hour has gone global, with thousands of communities and nearly a billion people taking part.
Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, the Earth Hour event has been criticized for not effectively addressing climate change. These critics, however, miss the point.
While the goal of reducing energy consumption by 5% over the hour isn't insignificant, Earth Hour isn't meant to be an effective climate change solution in itself; it's about raising awareness for those solutions.
When millions of people unify in a call for climate change action, and when iconic buildings like the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building shut off the lights, it's hard to argue Earth Hour isn't doing something meaningful for the planet.
Click here to see some of the many ways you can support Earth Hour.
Photo via WWF
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