Earth Hour Team Captain: Hannah Alper,10-year-old eco-blogger, Toronto

By Hannah Alper, Earth Hour Team Captain
Earth Hour is important to me because when people shut off their lights it shows that they care about the earth. It also shows that they are aware and want to fix the problems in our environment. All over the world people take part in Earth Hour. So many people are spreading the word – schools, teachers, social media, posters, TV, online and businesses are all talking about Earth Hour. Millions of people are brought together by this environmental celebration and are doing something so powerful that can change the world. When people turn off their lights it shows that anyone can change the world, no matter how old or young they are, no matter where they live. The small changes that we all make, add up.

Eco-blogger Hannah Alper at the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, September 2012. © Candace Alper

This year I want young kids to know that they can make a difference and that is why I created the Earth Hour Pledge. I think of Earth Hour as an environmental new year and my pledge is the place to write your resolutions. I chose stop, start and continue because they each mean something different.
Stop – it is kind of a negative one but you are going to turn into a positive action. For stop, I want people to think about what they do in their everyday life that is harmful or damaging to the environment. One thing that you can stop doing can make a big difference.
Start – think about something that you can start doing that will have a positive impact. Starting something new always feels good.
Continue – This one is a great one because you get to recognize that you’re already doing something awesome. Keep it up!
I wanted to do my Earth Hour pledge because it gives people a reason to think about what they can do for environment and write their commitments down.  When they see the pledge that they took, they will be reminded of the commitments they made.
I couldn’t figure out how to motivate kids about the environment before I thought of the pledge. But with it they can share something with their family and friends and have commitments to remember that will always be on their fridge. They will also feel good about making their own ideas.
What I want to stop, start and continue this year is that I want to stop leaving the lights on when I leave a room, I want to start an eco team with my friends and I want to continue using my voice and learning through my blog.
I think that after kids do this simple pledge or other things to help the planet, they will be even more motivated to help the earth or their community.  Doing good feels good and everyone wants to feel good.
Earth Hour really is like a new year for the environment. The resolutions don’t start when you write them down, they start when you make them happen.
Learn more about Hannah’s eco blog at callmehannah.ca!
The ‘Earth Hour Team Captains’ blog series highlights on-the-ground leaders who are making a difference in communities all over Canada. Championing the spirit of Earth Hour with year-round actions, these individuals are making strides toward a greener future.