Photo by William Navarro on Unsplash
Next week’s newsletter comes out early in honour of two important events happening tomorrow.
Earth Hour takes place for one hour tomorrow night, but it means much more than sixty minutes…Armchair Activist has gone very green currently in the run up to The Big One next month here in the UK and I have more to share on that coming very soon…
Tomorrow is also The International Day Of Remembrance Of The Victims Of Slavery And The Transatlantic Slave Trade. In a long-overdue move, the London Mayor’s Office has (finally) announced that a memorial will be unveiled in London commemorating the victims of the transatlantic slave trade. This is so important given that London’s wealth, like so many other European cities, “…was built on the backs, the lives, the experiences of those who were enslaved. We see it in our institutions, we see it in our buildings, we see it in our public realm.” Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice.
Please see the Activism section of this newsletter for resources on how we, as white people, can begin to pay our respects, learn lessons and take action so the appalling trade in people stops (it still happens), and the descendants of the transatlantic trade are duly acknowledged in all the ways.
What Is Earth Hour?
Started in 2007 as a small grass roots movement in Sydney, Australia out of frustration about the lack of action about climate change.
Most well known for its ‘lights off’ moment - a symbolic event when more than 2 million households and businesses in Australia turned off their lights for an hour to show collective support for our planet. Today the movement is global, and ever more urgent.
Organised by WWF and partners but led by Earth Hour community.
Read 10 cool facts about Earth Hour - you’ll love number 9. Genius!
When Is Earth Hour?
20.30-21.30 Local Time 25th March, 2023.
Why Is Earth Hour Important?
It’s much more than just an hour in the dark! Earth Hour reconnects us to each other, our planet and the urgency to take care of it and one another.
How Can I Find Out More?
Find out more about Earth Hour.
Download information for individuals and businesses.
Armchair Activism
What Can I Do For Earth Hour?
Simple Activism
Share how you plan on spending Earth Hour on social media using #EarthHour and encourage friends and family to take part by spreading the word to your networks.
Eat a plant-based meal by candlelight with friends and family. Food production and consumption massively affects our world and its resources. View WWF’s simple swaps.
Step It Up A Notch
Involve your kids and get creative about connecting with nature with this great selection of activities and crafts.
Choose an activity from the WWF page including: Ways to help the planet on a budget, download your footprint app, learn and action how to save water, measure your footprint, transform your garden into a wildlife haven.
Serious Activism
(The first two are UK based).
“Take on a Challenge this Earth Hour, whilst raising funds for WWF UK.
This Earth Hour you can choose an activity to host in an hour to fundraise for your world. You can organise this at any point during Sat 25th March, it doesn't have to be during Earth Hour (20:30-21:30) - the whole day is your chance to bring our world back to life. You'll also get a free panda pin badge when you sign up 🐼”.
If you are in the UK, consider attending The Big One between April 21st-24th. The aim? 100,000 people peacefully campaigning outside The Houses of Parliament to hold politicians to account about climate change. I will be there. Will you?
Use the template Social Media posts and email to tell people about Earth Hour.
Are you a white person who wants to honour the The International Day Of Remembrance Of The Victims Of Slavery And The Transatlantic Slave Trade?
Here are some resources to find out more about its horrific history and the role our ancestors played in it. We cannot rely on the whitewashed version of history we have been fed through school. I am still learning too.
Learn More:
United Nations Outreach Programme on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson cleverly links together the caste systems of the USA, India and Nazi Germany. It opened my eyes to the utterly horrific nature of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
DO More:
Make Your Reparation (This is NOT a donation).
Give your children a decolonised education and teach them about Black History and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (the non-whitewashed version where Christopher Columbus is not the hero!)