Earth Hour 2016 in Singapore – Stop the Haze, Grow A Forest!

Did you know Earth Hour 2016 is happening this Saturday, mama? Here’s what you can do to celebrate 10 years of this wonderful worldwide event!

Earth Hour is a grassroots initiative from the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) that started back in 2007 as a global environmental movement to encourage awareness of the plight of climate change around the world. Today over 172 countries participate in this event where you’re asked to just turn the lights off for one hour.

However, the event has become so popular that it’s grown beyond that one hour to a full weekend of events and activities for the whole family. Here’s how you and the kiddos can get in on the action this weekend and do your part, mama!

This Earth Hour, WWF-Singapore is giving you the chance to do something about deforestation and haze pollution. Over 2 million hectares of forest were destroyed by the fires that caused last year’s haze pollution. Haze is expected to make a reappearance again this month, fires are already burning and parts of Sumatra declared a state of emergency last week, as air quality deteriorated. It is only a matter of time before haze hits Singapore, so dust off those board games, we could soon be spending some quality indoor time with our families again! Many of us felt powerless when the haze hit last year, now Earth Hour is giving us a chance to do something about it.

Here are 3 actions to support forests and stop haze pollution:

Form a human forest!

Have fun with your family, be part of a world record attempt for the most people in yoga tree pose. Saturday 19 March at 6pm on the Float @ Marina Bay. Stay for a fun FREE family event with live music and an Eco Carnival, where children can earn WWF Panda and Earth Hour badges for carrying out green actions. It is also the best spot in town to watch as Marina Bay’s famous buildings switch off their lights in support of climate change at 8.30pm.

Where: The Float @ Marina Bay, 20 Raffles Ave, Singapore 039805
When: Saturday, 19 March, 6-10pm

Plant Your Own Forest in Sumatra

When you support WWF’s project to plant 15 trees in Aceh, Sumatra, you can get your hands dirty and plant your own Earth Hour tree, right here in Singapore. You can give all the Sumatran trees a name and will get photo updates of how your saplings are doing. Sumatra has seen some of the most rapid deforestation in the world, 55% of its natural forest is gone. Aceh forest is an important home to some of the last Sumatran orangutans.

Sign the PEAT-ition

Show your support for a three-country petition to stop fires on peatland. Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia are joining forces to call for a ban on the development of peatland. The worst of last year’s haze was due to fires on peat, which produced thick, acrid smoke and released huge amounts of greenhouse gases, also contributing to our climate change problems.

Sign the PEAT-ition, plant a tree, and find out more about Earth Hour 2016 at earthhour.sg, mama!

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