Lights off, game on! Get ready to celebrate Earth Hour on March 23, 2024 at 8:30 p.m. This global event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) encourages you to turn off non-essential lights for one hour. It aims to raise awareness about climate change, nature loss, and other environmental issues.

Not sure what to do during those 60 minutes? Take it as your chance to unplug from technology and spend quality time with the family. Explore fun activities you can easily do at home for a positive impact on the planet.

Grab a mat or blanket and head to your backyard or a nearby park for a stargazing picnic. Stars are more visible with the lights turned off. Download a stargazing app (try Starwalk 2 or the NASA app) to identify constellations, like the Orion’s Belt, locally known as Las Tres Marias. Don’t forget to pack some snacks or kakanin like bibingka or puto, best paired with some tsokolate eh.

Enjoy some old-fashioned fun with a Pinoy-themed game night. Bust out classic Filipino favorites like sungka and jackstones. You can also teach the kids tumbang preso or luksong tinik for hours of laughter and friendly competition.

Here’s something even lolo and lola will enjoy! Gather around the living room or dining table, light some candles, and share stories with your family. You can decide on a theme, like spooky tales, funny anecdotes, or maybe even stories inspired by your experiences with nature. Fair warning: One hour of this bonding activity may not be enough once you get started!

Raid your recycling bin and challenge everyone to get creative with upcycling. Turn old jars into cute candle holders, repurpose plastic bottles into planters, and transform old cardboard boxes into DIY flags (just in time for Araw ng Kagitingan in April!). Aside from promoting resourcefulness and creativity, it also helps you reduce clutter. To make it more exciting, assign a judge to choose the best work and give a prize.

Get everyone’s hands busy and learn how to make easy, no-cook treats or desserts. Here’s something even little kids can ace: pastillas de leche a.k.a. sweet milk candies. All you need are powdered milk, condensed milk, and some sugar. Tip: Add a little lime zest to counteract the sweetness and add a fresh zing.

Music lover? Tap on Spotify and create a playlist of everyone’s favorite tracks, then spend the night singing along. Better yet, create your own Earth Hour playlist with songs like “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell, “Better Days” by OneRepublic, and “Paraiso” by Smokey Mountain. Just make sure your devices are fully charged.

Have everyone relax with a nature-inspired meditation session. Set the mood with ambient candlelight, lay down some mats for everyone to sit on, and play ambient music with natural elements, such as flowing water or soft rain sounds. There are plenty of meditation apps you can download, like Headspace and Calm.

Armed with flashlights, take a stroll around your neighborhood or at a nearby park, and do a mini clean-up along the way! Equip your family with gloves and trash bags, and encourage everyone to pick up any trash that they see while enjoying the outdoors. It’s a simple yet impactful way to show love for Mother Earth while also instilling a sense of responsibility—especially for kids.

Like you, Globe is committed to taking care of the planet—not just during Earth Hour—but all year long. Enjoy paperless billing through the GlobeOne app, carry out cashless transactions through GCash, and reduce plastic waste with the use of eSIMs. You can also use your Globe Rewards to send donations to different organizations, such as Save Philippine Seas and PAWS Philippines. With these tools and resources, it's easy to help the environment and live a greener lifestyle.