Many people think Earth Hour is just a boring celebration for environmentalists. Or maybe just a little favor we do every so often to be still and stagnant for a short amount of time. But what if there's still so much we can do to make it more fun and exciting than people realize? Show Mother Earth some much-needed love and try out these 7 activities.
1. Go on a hike
For hiking enthusiasts, you can make the most of Earth Hour and go up your favorite mountain. Hiking promotes physical health because it helps the lungs and muscles for better breathing and more muscle endurance.
Hikers can likewise be soothed and feel relaxed because they are immersed in nature and tranquility, especially when they reach the summit. Sounds of birds chirping, the smell of soil and grass, and the cool air from the mountaintops can serve as a free breather that your five senses can take in all at the same time.
Going on a hike during Earth Hour will give you a bird's eye view of houses and establishments from a distance mostly turning off their lights, especially if the mountain you choose is pretty high altitude and allows for a clearer view of the lowlands. This view can serve as a timely reminder for you to take things more slowly and enjoy them fully.
2. Plant flowers for the bees and butterflies
If you're concerned about protecting insect populations like those of bees and butterflies, you can help by planting flowers. Bees and butterflies are of great help to the ecosystem because they produce both food and non-food essentials such as pollen, propolis, beeswax, royal jelly, honey bee venom, and most importantly, honey.
Meanwhile, butterflies help with the production of fruit, vegetable and flower seeds aside from arguably being the most visually attractive insects out there apart from fireflies and dragonflies. Both bees and butterflies can benefit from more flowers planted in your area, and vice versa.
Flowers also beautify the surroundings, give off a fragrance that some love to have around them everyday, and even bloom and grow into fruits that give nutrition to the body, like those of mangoes and strawberries. There are even flowers that trap harmful insects or give off odor that kills poisonous organisms too.
3. Make your own little potted garden
If you've always dreamed of making your own herb garden or just any sort of greenery in your house (but you're trapped in a concrete jungle), then potted plants are your best bet. Especially during Earth Hour, activate your green thumb and have some fun while you're at it.
Some common decorative plants include peace lilies for worry-free indoor care, spider plant for air purification, and philodendron for good drought tolerance. Meanwhile, coriander, basil, thyme, and rosemary are some herbs you can use for your indoor potted herb garden.
Earth Hour is the perfect opportunity to get started with keeping and caring for indoor plants. Meanwhile, for plants that you must do away with, some of these include areca palms, bonsai, and English ivy. Meanwhile, here is a helpful list of plants that you should not bring indoors.
4. Ride bikes
Take advantage of Earth Hour as your time away from the screen — go on a much-needed bike ride in your village or at a park nearby. If you'll need to run errands, you can choose to ride your bike instead of using a car or a taxi, in true Earth Hour fashion! It may take longer or be generally more of a hassle, but it's just once for the whole year, and the experience can even be more fun that you imagined.
If you don't know how to ride a bike, then now is the perfect time to do it. It's best to get supporters first - the small wheels at the back of the bicycle that's also detachable - as well as a friend or a trainer that will help you find your balance. If you're worried about getting wounded, then make sure you have a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads with you.
Learning how to bike can help protect you from diseases such as heart attack, depression, stroke, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and some types of cancer. Especially when paired with an excellent diet, biking can definitely pull you out of lethargy and give you the needed endorphins for your body daily. With this being said, you can also incorporate biking into your routine!
5. Work out with a twist
Take your workouts up a notch by taking them outdoors. Instead of just dusting off your home treadmill or hitting the gym in your vicinity, you can do Pilates on top of a mountain, run up a hill, or do some CrossFit on the beach! Spice up your workouts by asking a friend to tag along, or organize a group exercise that you'll lead just in time for Earth Hour.
6. Take photos of sceneries
If you're into photography, then this one is just for you. Your subject doesn't have to be nature-related or themed just because it's Earth Hour — you can take pictures of anything you like! It can be photos of your friends, your pets, your favorite brunch spot, a random person with a cool outfit, or the bar you and your friends frequent – anything goes!
But if you do have access to nature, then clean up your camera lens and keep your shutter clicking as you find many interesting things around you. Whether it's the forest or a body of water, there's always something you can find and use as your subject.
7. Pause and stay still
Earth Hour is a good time to reflect on how nature nourishes your mind, body, and soul. To appreciate the Earth and its meticulously organized systems, you can take a pause and be stagnant for a while. Amidst the piles of work you have to do or the clients that you have to cater to, it's always good to drop what you're doing even for a little minute and breathe some fresh air into your lungs.
It may not be the most fun idea for some, but to those longing for a breather or a chance to meditate and feel as though they're one with the Earth, then this is the perfect chance for you to do so.
This way, you give yourself the physical and mental health break that you didn't even know you needed while offsetting your emissions as well, since less daily consumption of non-renewable energy is reducing your carbon footprint.