Grove English Communication Ⅲ
LESSON 14
Earth Hour
Every year, at 8:30 p.m. local time across the world on the last Saturday of March, hundreds of millions of people worldwide switch off their lights. This event, called Earth Hour, starts in the Pacific island nation of Samoa, a country which is located in the earliest time zone. Lights go out hour by hour around the world, and the event ends 24 hours later in the Pacific islands again. During the dark hour, some people light candles. Some gather in public places to share the moment. Others stay home to enjoy the starry night.
Not only do hundreds of millions of people take part in Earth Hour, but even the world’s most iconic landmarks go dark for an hour, from east to west: the Sydney Opera House, Tokyo Tower, the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis in Athens, the Elizabeth Tower or Big Ben in London, and New York’s Empire State Building.
In 2007, Earth Hour first took place in just one city, Sydney, Australia. More than 2.2 million Sydney residents kept their lights and non-essential electrical appliances switched off for an hour. The next year, the campaign quickly spread through the world, and more than 50 million people in 35 countries and territories took part.
The number of participants is increasing year by year. In 15 years, people from 192 countries and territories participated in Earth Hour. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the movement went online. In 2021, Earth Hour gave us an opportunity to think about the close connection between human health and planetary health. In addition, Earth Hour supporters are organizing online events and digital campaigns such as live streaming concerts on social media, digital marches, social media challenges, and live sessions.
EU drives zero-emissions, shift to EVs can’t wait!
To fight global warming, the European Union (the EU) has been trying to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. At its core is the transition to electric vehicles. To support the widespread use of electric vehicles, the EU member states will have to install public charging points at least every 60 kilometers along their roads by 2025. Consumers are concerned about not being able to charge their cars with electricity when driving long distances. The EU Commission estimates that it will cost 802.2 billion euros (about 110 trillion yen) to install public and private chargers across the EU by 2040.