Earth Hour started in Australia with millions of homes and businesses turning their lights off for one hour. Now it has grown to become one of the world’s biggest climate change initiatives. People are all joining together in a global effort to show that it’s possible to take action on global warming.

Earth Hour has brought about some new changes to our lives. The iconic "Bird’s Nest" National Stadium and the nearby "Water Cube" National Aquatics Center, usually illuminated by floodlights, went dark at 8:30 p.m., while dozens of hotels, office buildings, shopping malls and restaurants also switched some lights off. People join activities such as candle-lit dinners and star-gazing parties as a response to the call for "going dark". However, some critics have dismissed the event as simply a gimmick that will not make any difference.

From my point of view, Earth Hour is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community. A call to stand up, to take responsibility and to get involved in working towards a sustainable future. Earth Hour is a message of hope and a message of action. Everyone can make a difference.