Earth is Dearer than Gold

Tonight is the night where cities around the world will shut off their lights for an hour, starting from 8 pm, to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming. Promoted by the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF), Earth Hour is the highlight of a major campaign to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their emissions on an ongoing basis. It is about simple changes that will collectively make a difference – from businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty, to households turning off appliances rather than leaving them on standby.

It will be just a mere hour to be in the dark. It is our choice to make changes. It is not like we are forced to be in the dark without electricity. Trust me, it would be scary.

Back in September 1999, when central Taiwan was hit with a destructive earthquake, we were in Kaoshiung, a city down south of the island. Had rushed to Taipei to get the next flight back to Malaysia but the airport was closed as the electricity was cut off. That night was the longest night of my life! We had to climb 12 storeys of stairs in order to get to our friend's apartment in the dark, with a baby, a toddler and luggages clinging to us. The aftershock tremors felt throughout the night made it impossible to sleep. As they say, the earth was really 'angry'.

Since young, we were taught to do our bit to help Mother Nature. I still remember my Dad used to give his I-don’t-like-that look, each time we absent-mindedly walked out a room without switching off the lights or fans. In school, my teachers would go on and on about recycling, reducing and reusing; which eventually became my favourite hobby. (There was once, I don’t mind looking like an idiot, trying to ‘fish’ an empty can out of the drain in front of my house, back in Malaysia!) At home, my youngest kid gets very annoyed each time he is to wear his elder brother’s hand-me-down clothes. Over here in Indonesia, I tend to be thrifty and save money from buying unnecessary containers when I can just make do with a nicely cut out plastic bottles.

The next generation should be taught to be aware, uphold and practise these values. It is no longer an awareness of any campaign but it is a good value to live life. Not only it will help them to be a better person by being sensitive to the environment, they will also learn to save and get creative.

So, let’s just have an hour of romantic evening under the moonlight and the stars tonight!