On Saturday March 28th the spirit of earth hour rippled throughout Algonquin and its residence buildings. The halls were dark, and students gathered in dimly-lit common areas to eat, drink and socialize.
Earth hour itself is not a new event, but it isn’t that old either. This means that certain earth hour traditions have yet to be established at most places of work and study.
This is particularly sad when climate change is changing our world for the worse. The United Nations is saying that we would have needed to start making radical changes years ago in order to save ourselves.
Here at Algonquin, those in charge of sustainability like Sarah Dehler do their best in order to engage students and faculty in energy saving bouts such as earth hour.
“When you think about what earth hour is about, it’s not just about turning lights off for an hour,” said Dehler. “It’s about how to engage people in the discussion of how we take electricity for granted every day.”
Representetives at Algonquin showed initiative by taking charge and organizing an acoustic unplugged jam-session in the residence building. The 35th Street Café turned most of its lights off, but kept a few dimly lit to remain operational.
The first of its kind jam session warmed the hearts of students and staff alike, and spread a message of caring and being a responsible global citizen. Dehler hopes that this will encourage students to be more aware of waste and being more green.
“Bring reusable coffee mugs, water bottles and participate in active transportation like taking buses, bikes and walking,” said Dehler. “If we all do our part, we can make a big difference.”