Armand Steyn, GM Morukuru Family Madikwe says, “Nature is one of our strongest allies against climate change. But it is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate. We are already seeing how climate change is causing more extreme weather events, such as droughts. We will use Earth Hour to remind us all of our natural environment and the threats it faces."
In the bush, you can celebrate Earth Hour every night. If you are out on a night drive, there is no artificial light - just you and the stars and the occasional beam of your ranger’s torch to spot nocturnal animals. We think nothing beats turning the vehicle's engine off, flicking the switch on the spotlight, and being present in the dark. This is the perfect time to observe Earth Hour.
Earth Hour was started in 2007 by The World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The first-ever Earth Hour was a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney, Australia, to raise awareness of climate change. This event saw 2.2 million homes and businesses turn their lights off for one hour, taking a stand against climate change. Fast forward to 2022, when 100’s of millions of people will participate in Earth Hour and global landmarks will be shrouded in symbolic darkness,
Louis Jansen van Vuuren, GM from Morukuru Family De Hoop comments that “Morukuru Family is committed to our environment and we all do our bit every day to protect our planet. Here, we embrace principles of sustainability, eco-design and environmental sensitivity. We are 100% off-grid. For electricity, we rely on solar panels (with a generator for those cloudy days); for hot water and underfloor heating, we use pellet burner boilers. For heating, we have fireplaces (using local invasive Rooikrans trees). Our water is from a borehole. We have our own sewage plant and a Biorock system for gas cooking.”
Here in the de Hoop Nature Reserve, we will be supporting Earth Hour by encouraging our guests to mark the occasion with a candle-lit dinner or a candle-lit bath. What could be more romantic than enjoying a bath under the stars with just lanterns and candles for company - you could take it up a level by inviting your partner and adding a bottle of beautiful bubbles.
WWF, which organises the annual Earth Hour event, aims to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment. It also focuses on building a future where people live in harmony with nature. Since 2007 the WWF has encouraged people worldwide to switch off their lights and think about climate change.
Ryno van der Elst from AtholPlace House & Villa adds, “It feels like the world has been standing still for two years now, and the climate crisis remains and is being worsened by the rapid loss of biodiversity and nature. Things that we had previously taken for granted by many have become a rare commodity. The rapid spread of the coronavirus has severely restricted our freedom and leisure time. Earth Hour 2022 seems an apt moment in time to pause and reflect. We will celebrate 60 minutes of darkness – to shine the light on climate change.”
Probably never before has the sense of community been greater than in the current situation. We all live on one planet and national borders really only exist in our heads. Therefore, we are all collectively responsible for our planet. The Earth Hour campaign is not about “just” saving energy but about setting a peaceful example for more environmental and climate protection. In this case, saving electricity is just a nice side effect. Above all, the campaign is intended to show that we have to take better care of our planet.
Science agrees: if humanity does not succeed in limiting global warming to 1.5°C, catastrophic consequences for humanity and nature are imminent. One in six species could become extinct. Forest fires are becoming more frequent, droughts and floods more severe. The climate crisis is – corona or not – still the greatest threat to our planet.
Join Morukuru Family and be part of the Earth Hour 2020! Turn off your lights for one hour on 26th March at 20:30. Unite with millions of people worldwide in sending a strong signal for a living planet. It’s become clear that what we do to our planet, we do to ourselves. As a collective, humans have the chance to reshape history by the actions we take. To stop runaway climate change and shape our future. All of us have a choice, and we must act now.
If not now, then when?