Perhaps you are aware of it, and perhaps you are not, but last Saturday was the day that Earth Hour was celebrated all across the world. If you are unfamiliar with this cause, it is the collaboration of individuals and businesses to turn their lights off for sixty minutes to save energy. While this will in fact lower the energy consumption, it does not end there, for it is symbolic. It is meant for each of us to pay attention all year long, not just during Earth Hour to how we waste energy in our homes and in the workplace.

If you are already the owner of energy efficient appliances I applaud you. However, there’s more you can do, a lot more in fact. Accept the challenge that is posed to become a more conscious user of your computer, your lights (both indoor and outdoor) your refrigerator, and everything else that goes on your electric bill. That hairdryer you use once a week but leave plugged into the wall, unplug it. The computer you leave plugged in all the time, stop that. Turn the darn thing off, it needs to get some rest too you know.

When you go on a trip unplug everything, not only is the environmentally friendly thing to do, it saves you money too. If you are not going to be gone over a week, it is understandable that you may not want to turn that off, and incidentally have to chuck everything within it. Nor would I ask you to, because you will replace them all with new ketchup, butter, syrup, jelly, mustard, pickle mayo and horseradish bottles, and that isn’t good for the environment. Which is precisely where you come in. Not only are you being asked to turn stuff off, it is also being requested that you recognise other ways that your actions lead to waste, and stop, or at the very least limit that too.

If you didn’t do it in 2012 then make a point of it to join the world’s largest voluntary action for the environment next year. As it is, this year was met with hundreds of millions of participants. This included participation of one hundred and fifty countries. In fact, both the Office of the UN Secretary General and the International Space Station were involved. So, pretty soon your going to be the only one not joining in. Till Earth Hour 2012, which is scheduled for three hundred and sixty one days from now, do your part in your daily life to actively limit the waste of energy.