Earth Hour

Global warming!  Global climate change!  Is it real?  Is it a problem?  Is it a fraud?  Is it something people caused?  Is it something we contribute to?  Is it something that can be repaired?  If it is something at all.  You are probably aware of the great debate regarding the topic of "global warming", which has recently been re-framed as "global climate change".  There are those on one side of the argument, like former Vice President Al Gore and his movie An Inconvenient Truth, who seek to convince you that it is a a real problem and people are the primary culprit.  There are those on the other side, like Senator James Inhofe and his new book The Greatest Hoax, who seek to convince you that it is a fabrication and that if there are any changes to earth's climate they are negligible and not at all the fault of humanity.  I AM NOT TRYING TO START A DEBATE HERE!

Those who know me know that I am not a "tree hugging hippie" environmentalist type of guy.  I'm not a global warming doomsdayer nor I am I someone who will argue that any climate changes that might be occurring are not impacted in any way by the actions of people.  However, I do believe that when God placed creation under the care of humanity (Genesis 1: 28-30) He was also included a responsibility that humanity must appropriately care for His creation.

Are there people who are wasteful? Yes.  Are there people who give lack of care and respect for the creation we have been given? Yes.  Is it within our individual and collective power to help make a positive difference for the future? YES!!

Therefore, I have made a commitment to improve the way that I act so as to care for God's creation.  This includes things such as recycling paper, plastic, cans, etc.  This includes turning off the lights in rooms when I am not in need of them.  Am I perfect at accomplishing these things? Heavens no! But I believe I am improving over time.  Little things can make a difference!

This is the ultimate goal of an environmentally conscious movement known as Earth Hour.  What began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 has now grown into a global movement of symbolic awareness of how we, in our own day-to-day lives, can take steps to help improve our environment.  The premise is that what if we all, on the same day, turned off the lights for one hour.  One, it would symbolically help promote simple ways that we can each better care for what God has given to us.  Two, by turning off the lights during a peak usage time (8:30-9:30) PM in your local time) it could same a little bit of the electricity which, in nearly all of the world's communities, runs exclusively off of nonrenewable resources.

This Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 8:30-9:30 PM (your local time) is "Earth Hour".  I encourage you to turn off the lights and do something "special".  Use candle light to illuminate family game night (remember those?) or to read a book (yes, the paper ones since your Kindle or iPad uses "lights").  Gather outside with a group of friends at a bonfire and sing "camp songs".  Be creative!

On this one night, we can roam a remote road of global community and do something simple to honor and respect God's creation.