Each one of us can do a lot to make this blue planet a greener place

There is a lot that each one of us can do to make this blue planet a greener place to live in, a UAE newspaper wrote Saturday.

"Tonight, in what has become a symbol of the fight against climate change and caring for the environment, we are being asked to go dark, turn off lights and use as little energy as possible, the Gulf News said in an editorial comment on the tenth edition of Earth Hour, which it described as "an opportunity for each and every one of us to make at least a token effort in reducing our carbon footprint"

It is also an opportunity to make a statement that we do actually care about this blue planet we share on its journeys around the sun, and that we are guardians of the environment, stewards of the world to hold it and preserve it for the generations to come, the English-language paper said.

"Yes, Earth Hour is a pertinent reminder to us of just how fragile and sensitive this planet is, that we have a responsibility to keep it as pristine as possible, and to make every effort to ensure its environment, climate and natural beauty remain intact. Yes, turn off your lights tonight for an hour and send a message that we living in the UAE care about climate change, about carbon emissions and that we pledge to do more to be green," the Dubai-based paper said.

It noted that people should embrace the philosophy of thinking globally and acting locally into our living and working habits, and that on the global stage, Abu Dhabi's Masdar City has become the watchword for renewable energy and basically zero-emission sustainability.

Although governments and political leaders came together in Paris last December to arrive at a landmark deal on climate change and carbon emissions after years of efforts, much still remains to be done and at least Earth Hour lets us play our part, the Gulf News said.