22nd March, 2018. Global ‘Days’.

My latest communication from World Wildlife Fund reminds me that ‘With World Water Day, International Day of Forests and Earth Hour, March truly is a time to celebrate the planet’.

21st March = International Day of Forests.

22nd March = World Water Day.

24th March = Earth Hour (see above logo) – switch off your lights for one hour from 8-30pm. If everyone did it and the sky was cloudless the firmament would be lit with thousands of now visible stars sited in our part of the Milky Way galaxy. But, of course, the main point is to focus on depletion of Earth’s resources and factors causing global climate change. There is a very good website re global responses to Earth Hour – connect2earth, Earth Hour. For example, for the first time this year premises on Carnaby Street, London will be switching off their lights for the hour.

Less time focussed but remarkable is the fact that W.W.F. is working with the World Organisation of Scout Movement so that 40 million scouts worldwide ‘will be mobilised to take action for our planet and beyond’.

It is easy to be cynical about such initiatives and certainly it is more important to retain a focus across 365 days per year rather than just one. However, many are inspired by high profile ‘celebrations’, especially the young, and if it gets them thinking beyond that day ‘all well and good’.

Will I miss most of Casualty on Saturday evening? It just states switch off the lights.