WWF’s Earth Hour is a powerful symbol.
While some organisations ask their supporters to wear a ribbon or flowers, we encourage people and landmarks to switch their lights off to celebrate our beautiful planet. As the world’s leading independent conservation organisation, we want people to use this moment to show how much they care for our planet’s wildlife, rivers and oceans.
I am thrilled that this year again as part of Earth Hour we are encouraging people to have a candlelit dinner and eat a meal that is tasty, healthy and sustainable.
What and how much food we eat not only impacts our health – in the UK, 1 in every 4 adults is obese – but also the environment. Some of most pressing environmental issues we are facing today – deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, over-extraction of water – are linked to our food consumption. We know that if we want to mitigate climate change and preserve those areas of importance for wildlife while feeding a growing population, we will need to eat meals that are more sustainable.
In the UK, you can choose to have a candlelit dinner venue in a wide range of restaurants. And if you stay at home, why not cook the delicious Earth Hour recipe (a red lentil, tomato & rosemary soup with goat’s cheese toastie) prepared for the International Year of Pulses? Pulses such as chickpeas, lentils and peas, are healthy, nutritious, affordable and sustainable. An excellent source of protein, they use less water than other protein sources, less fertilizer and have a low carbon footprint.
Everyone can take part in WWF’s Earth Hour by simply switching off their lights for one hour at 8.30pm on Saturday 19th March 2016. Find out more at wwf.org.uk/earthhour or #EarthHourUK and do it for your planet. I hope you join us!
By Brigitte Alarcon, Sustainable Food Policy Officer at the World Wildlife Fund UK.
Recipe courtesy of Jenny Chandler.