On Saturday, March 27 at 8:30 pm local time, Earth Hour, one of the world's largest grassroots movements for the environment, will once again inspire individuals, businesses and organizations in over 180 countries and territories to renew their commitment to the planet.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is partnering with internationally celebrated scholar and Peloton yoga and meditation teacher Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts to host a nationwide meditation for this year's Earth Hour. The free 15-minute guided meditation invites individuals to practice gratitude for the many services the planet provides, reflect on their personal connection to nature and set intentions for their environmental journey ahead.
Why a meditation?
Americans are at risk of losing their connection to nature. For example, the average American child now spends only 4-7 minutes per day playing outdoors, compared to over seven hours per day behind a screen. Humanity's broken relationship with nature is a key driver behind the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change-induced natural disasters, and food and water security issues.
"The more we take care of ourselves with awareness and compassion, the more aware we can become about how we can take care of the Earth," says Jackson Roberts. "Our health and wellbeing is intertwined with nature-from the food that nourishes us to water that hydrates us to the fresh air we breathe."
Traditionally, global skylines have gone dark and millions of individuals have turned off their lights for Earth Hour as a symbolic gesture to their commitment to preserving our planet. This past year, the global pandemic has affected us all and WWF is marking this annual celebration by encouraging supporters to create a moment of calm for themselves and rediscover their connection to the natural world through meditation.
Sometimes we have to slow down to speed up
After the meditation, Earth Hour participants are encouraged to channel their renewed appreciation for nature into their environmental goals and the movement at large.
"Every effective movement starts with intentional individual action. Individual actions add up and can have cascading impacts in communities and broader society," says Shauna Mahajan, conservation social scientist at WWF. "Earth Hour is an excellent time to pause and reflect on our environmental goals and re-energize our commitments to protecting the planet."
