Heat buster

I admit I could have taken a better picture of this scrumptious snack/dessert but my growling stomach couldn't care less at the moment.

I've been craving for a decent halo-halo for some time now and by 1:30 PM today, on my way home, I knew I could not let this day pass without ordering one at the nearest restaurant. It has been a busy week taking care of requirements and an extremely hot and tiring morning after enrolling for graduate school at Quezon City. The energy-draining high noon commute was the last straw for me.

As I was walking from the entrance of our condo village well past my lunchtime, my state of being sweaty, tired and hungry sank all at once into my conscious mind. When I reached the Burntmilk clubhouse, I plopped down on a chair located in front of the TV and this huge electric fan that had a built-in water/mist sprayer that helped calm my nerves and cool down my . I grabbed a menu from the counter and scanned it: no halo-halo written anywhere. I sighed. A waitress came up to me and smiled. I commented out loud, "Ang sarap ng halo-halo ngayon, no? Ang init kasi." (A halo-halo would be good for today, yes? Because it's so hot.) Then, after a quick pause, I turned to her asked hopefully, "May halo-halo ba kayo?" (Do you have halo-halo?) The lady nodded her head and said, "Meron po." (We have it.)

I sat up straighter. Am I hearing this right? "Meron kayo?" (You have it?), I repeated. I wanted to be sure what I was hearing wasn't hallucination from the unbelievable heat. "Opo, available po siya, wala lang sa menu," (Yes, it's available, just not written on the menu.) she replied. I wasted no time in saying, "I'll order one please! And one Pasta Amatriciana. Thank you!"

Suddenly, it was as if everything was alright with the world. I have finally found an oasis in a barren desert. My belated lunch was worth the wait :)

Later today at 8:30 in the evening, I will join the rest of the Philippines and the rest of the world in turning off the lights for Earth Hour. This year, however, I will be spending Earth Hour in silence and solitude. Because the accumulated distress of the week is taking its toll on me already, I will be going to sleep early tonight.

The principle and goal behind Earth Hour need not be celebrated only once a year. We can practice Earth Hour in our lives every day. Getting the eight-hour sleep we need does not only benefit us, it also means lesser lights turned on at night to help save Mother Earth. :)

EARTHour

Mahatma Ghandi once said, "The earth has enough for man’s need but not for man’s greed." It is true; ours is a finite earth. However, with this thought, we - as caretakers of God's creation - are doing a very poor job of watching over the one planet that we all share. Nevertheless, it is reassuring to know that things are changing for the better. It might be helpful to realize that the earth existed before man ever stepped foot on it and that the earth can go on existing without us men... but we cannot exist without the earth.

Well, folks, this is it. I am taking a stand.

I am half an hour into my vote to save Mother Earth. As I wait in silence surrounded by darkness, I feel a sense of ease wash over me. Tonight, Filipinos and people from many other countries are turning their lights off to show that they care about the planet. There was no national or local mandate about this historical event for mankind but the people chose to Vote Earth. I am blown away by the power of strong awareness campaigns and by the word of mouth. It is just amazing how people from all over the world are coming together to support the Earth Hour movement. It is proof that many of us have, indeed, put kindness back in mankind.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

Vote Earth. Your Light Switch is Your Vote. (2009). Retrieved March 28, 2009, from http://www.earthhour.org/about/

I first knew about Earth Hour in 2008. When the time came for turning off the lights, the only people in the house then were Mama and I. I shared to her about the important message that Earth Hour is trying to convey through its goal and my own opinion on the matter. That one hour of darkness became a time of light for me and my mom. We stayed in the living room and spent 60 minutes of meaningful conversation about life in general, which we don't get to have every day.

This year, my parents are away at a conference but they did not forget about Earth Hour. In fact, Papa called an earlier to remind us to switch off the lights. :)

It is now seventeen minutes after 9:30pm yet the lights in our house are still turned off. I chose to leave it off for a few more minutes - or maybe another hour. I believe that while Earth Hour is very significant as a point of oneness with the whole world at a particular date and time, it doesn't have to just start and end on March 28, 2009 from 8:30 to 9:30 in the evening. If we strongly believe in its message, we can hold Earth Hour at least once a day, once a week or once a month. We can also help in fighting the green battle by being more aware and well informed of the many environmental issues our generation is facing today.

"Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
- Ancient Indian Proverb