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How Many Days Until Earth Hour?
Saturday, March 27, 2027
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About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a worldwide lights-out event that asks homes, businesses, and landmarks to switch off non-essential electricity for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. local time, on the last Saturday of March. Started by the World Wide Fund for Nature, it has become one of the planet's largest grassroots environmental movements, observed in more than 180 countries and territories.
The dark hour is not primarily about the energy saved, which is modest and uneven. It is a symbolic collective action: millions of people simultaneously demonstrating that they care about climate change and nature loss, and want leaders to act. The Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, and thousands of other landmarks go dark in a rolling wave that follows the sunset across time zones.
Earth Hour has evolved beyond switching off lights into a broader campaign supporting reforestation, plastic reduction, and renewable energy policies, with local events often running all year under the same banner.
History of Earth Hour
Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, on March 31, 2007, when WWF Australia and partners persuaded roughly 2.2 million residents and 2,100 businesses to dim their lights for an hour. The idea caught fire internationally the following year, when hundreds of cities on every continent except Antarctica joined in, and by 2009 hundreds of millions of people were participating. Iconic landmarks joined quickly, and the event settled into its now-familiar slot on the last Saturday of March, chosen to fall near the equinox and after the Northern Hemisphere's daylight saving shift. Over the years Earth Hour has funded forest protection in Colombia, solar projects in India and the Philippines, and conservation campaigns around the world. It remains organized by WWF and a growing network of local partners, proving that a simple, synchronized gesture can carry a global message.
2027 vs 2028 dates
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Earth Hour?
- Earth Hour falls on the last Saturday of March every year, with lights out from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. local time. In 2026, that is March 28.
- Is Earth Hour a public holiday?
- No. Earth Hour is an environmental awareness event, not a public holiday. It takes place on a Saturday evening precisely so people can participate without disrupting work.
- How do people celebrate Earth Hour?
- People observe the hour by switching off lights and powering down devices, then spending the time by candlelight over dinner, stargazing, or at community events. Landmarks switch off their illumination too.
- Does Earth Hour actually save energy?
- The direct energy savings are small, but the event's real power is symbolic: it demonstrates massive public support for climate action and has funded environmental projects worldwide.