Mar 28, 2014

Join EPA, BGCA, and Spider-Man in Celebrating Earth Hour this Saturday, March 29th

climate change, earth hour, energy, light bulb, spider-man, youth 0 Comments

By: Jill Vohr

This Saturday, March 29^th, is the 8^th annual Earth Hour, a global movement that brings together millions of people across the world to switch off their lights for one hour as a symbol of their commitment to the planet. Are you up for the challenge? As a member of the team at ENERGY STAR, I am excited to participate for pretty obvious reasons.  Turning off lights is a great and easy way to save energy and prevent climate change.  Plus, using ENERGY STAR certified lighting saves energy even when our lights are on.

This year, Earth Hour has partnered with the new Sony Pictures movie The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to make Earth Hour that much more thrilling to people across the globe.  Check out this video to see how the movie stars are playing a part in protecting the environment this Earth Hour.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), a dedicated ENERGY STAR partner, is also working with the makers of The Amazing Spider-Man 2. BGCA uses the movie’s energy theme to help young people learn about saving energy. The movie villain is called Electro and he attacks by shooting bolts of electricity!

The connection between the movie and the work of the BGCA is a great one, and one that I think works for young people across the country. What better way to get your kids to use less energy than by telling them to “Be Your Own Amazing” by joining Spider-Man to stop Electro and save energy, right?  Even without the movie connection, Earth Hour is its own amazing.  It is a way for individuals across the globe to come together to make a difference for the planet through local activities.  And that speaks to us at ENERGY STAR, because we are passionate about using energy efficiently.

Did you know that the average home spends about 12% of its electricity bill on lighting? Lighting accounts for more of the energy that you use than your laundry equipment, refrigerator and dishwasher combined. That fact alone should be a good reason to switch off the lights (non-essential ones) and give Earth Hour a try this weekend. We know that our kids want to be heroes like the Amazing Spider-Man.  So by turning off the lights this weekend, we adults can certainly be our own amazing, too.

Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, March 29^th between 8:30pm and 9:30pm in your local time zone.

About the Author: Jill Vohr is the Director of Marketing for the ENERGY STAR Labeling Branch.  When she is not pursuing strategies that encourage individuals to use less energy – she is using up a lot of her own energy with her 7-year old daughter, Ingrid, who thinks spiders are icky.

 

 

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Mar 26, 2013

How Did You Celebrate Earth Hour?

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By: Kelly Siegel

Did you participate in Earth Hour on Saturday?  If not, it’s ok!  Although Earth Hour took place on Saturday March 23, 2013 at 8:30PM, we can make every hour, Earth Hour. 

Earth Hour began in 2007 and has been gaining steam ever since.  It involves world participation in hopes to raise awareness on climate change.  For one hour, everyone turns off their non-essential lights.  My roommates and I did this on Saturday night and realized we don’t need our computers, tv, and phones all going at the same time to have fun!

It is important to realize that we should not celebrate Earth Hour for one hour every year, but every hour of every day!  There are little things we can do every day to raise awareness and fight climate change, that are so simple that they are often forgotten.  Try some of these out: 

1. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
2. Try to fall asleep without your TV or computer on.  Not only does this conserve electricity but you will get a better night’s’ sleep!
3. Don’t just put your computer to sleep when not in use, but actually shut it down.  This goes for all appliances. 
4. You don’t always need to be connected to the internet.  Take a break to read a book or write a blog post!
5. Get your friends and family involved.  You can brainstorm about other ways to be energy efficient together.

Kelly Siegel is a student volunteer in the EPA’s Air and Radiation Division in Region 5, and is currently obtaining her Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  She has a passion for sustainable development, running, and traveling with friends.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Feb 13, 2012

Going Green with the Girl Scouts

carbon footprints, climate, climate change, earth hour, energy efficiency, energy star, Energy Star Program, girl scouts, Girl Scouts Forever Green 1 Comment

By Brittney Gordon

I am lucky enough to have great memories from childhood, and some of the most memorable moments come from my days as a Girl Scout. Every week my mom would dress me up in my brownie uniform and take me to our troop meeting to have fun with some of my best friends. From selling cookies to telling stories around the camp fire, Girl Scouts allowed me to have the kind of wholesome American fun that all young girls should get to experience.

With these memories still fresh in my mind I became a Girl Scout leader a few years ago, and had the chance to experience the fun of scouting from the other side. Needless to say, I am a strong believer in the Girl Scouts and I am always excited to read about the latest ways that they are reaching young women. Imagine my surprise when I found out that EPA’s ENERGY STAR program is partnering with the Girl Scouts this year, and helping to make protecting the climate as common to scouting as selling those delicious cookies.

In celebration of their 100th anniversary, the Girl Scouts are kicking off Girl Scouts Forever Green in 2012. This global action effort is focused on waste reduction, energy conservation and rain gardens. This March the Girl Scouts will begin engaging their friends and families in making small changes to lower their carbon footprint. The girls will be replacing incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs throughout their communities. On March 31st they will participate in the worldwide Earth Hour movement by turning off their lights for one hour.

EPA’s ENERGY STAR program is excited to work as the environmental education partner for the Girl Scouts during this anniversary year. Girl Scouts from across the country will be able to take a customized version of the ENERGY STAR Pledge on their own website, learning how to save energy and protect the environment with EPA’s help. For EPA this is a great way to spread the word about energy efficiency with the future leaders of America.

If you have a Girl Scout at home, make sure that she takes the ENERGY STAR Pledge on the Girl Scout’s website. If you have yet to take the ENERGY STAR Pledge, take it here.

About the author: Brittney Gordon is a member of the communication’s team at EPA’s ENERGY STAR program.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Mar 30, 2009

Question of the Week: Why did or didn’t you observe Earth Hour?

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Each week we ask a question related to the environment. Please let us know your thoughts as comments. Feel free to respond to earlier comments or post new ideas. Previous questions.

On the evening of Saturday March 28, millions around the world turned off their lights for an hour to demonstrate their awareness of the need to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Why did or didn’t you observe Earth Hour?

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.