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20 March 2018

Earth Hour Australia 2018


Be part of the world’s largest grassroots movement for climate change. Take action on climate change by switching off on Saturday, 24 March, 8.30pm – 9.30pm local time, for the future of Australian wildlife.

WWF’s Earth Hour is a great home-grown Aussie success story. Initially starting in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour has grown into a worldwide phenomenon which is now celebrated in 187 countries and 7000 cities around the world.

This year Earth Hour is drawing attention to the impact climate change has on biodiversity. Australia is home to an amazing array of unique plants and animals. More than 80% of Australia's flowering plants, mammals, reptiles, frogs and almost 50% of our birds occur nowhere else on Earth. However, our beautiful Australian wildlife and iconic places are under threat and we’re losing species at an unprecedented rate. Turtles on our beloved Great Barrier Reef, koalas in the forest, rock wallabies in the bush, and penguins in Antarctica are suffering from the impacts of climate change.

By switching off your lights for one hour on Saturday, you’re taking part in a symbolic action that helps to spark the conversation for change. I believe the collective power of individual actions can create significant change. Use this initiative as an opportunity to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and make stronger global commitments that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges.

Go beyond the hour and take positive action to protect our planet!

Specific impacts in Australia include:

Green turtles and the Great Barrier Reef

Rising sea levels are threatening Raine Island in the Great Barrier Reef, currently home to one of the world’s largest nesting sites for green turtles. A recent study (supported by WWF) showed that higher temperatures in nests are causing turtle eggs to produce females. Around 99% of the green turtle population is now female, signalling a potential population crash. 7

Koalas

With higher average temperatures, global warming is changing the water and nitrogen content of eucalyptus leaves, the koala’s only food, making them less nutritious. As a result, koalas are not getting enough water and nutrients from their natural diet and have to leave the protection of their tree-top homes, making them prone to predators and traffic.

The black-flanked rock wallaby

The black-flanked rock wallaby, which habitat includes the desert and bush in many parts of Northern and Western Australia, is highly endangered. More severe and longer droughts will result in food and habitat loss, leaving these beautiful animals with nowhere to go.

Antarctica

Antarctica is one of the fastest warming areas on the planet. The accelerated melting of Antarctica’s ice sheets has contributed to global average sea levels rising, increasing the risk of coastal flooding in Australia.

The melting ice is putting pressure on Antarctica’s many coastal and marine species, including penguins. A third of the Adélie penguin colonies in Antarctica could disappear in less than 50 years due to the impacts of climate change on food supply of krill and fish.


Related: B Corporations redefining business success; The environmental problem with palm oil; What is a circular economy?
 

Author & Editor

Tracey Bailey is the founder of Biome Eco Stores and mother of two. After working in corporate communications and starting a family, she made a choice to be part of the solution to our planet's future and started Biome Eco Stores. Tracey is passionate about educating the community about living eco-friendly and sustainable lives through her extended product, chemical, health and environmental knowledge.

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