globalbriefs
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work
together in building a healthier, stronger society that
works for all.
Earth Hour
World Citizens Switch Off the Lights March 27
Now in its fourth year, Earth Hour 2010 is calling upon us all to symbolically cast
our vote for Earth by turning off our lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m. local time.
Last year, nearly a billion world citizens voted this way in 4,000 cities in 87 coun-
tries on seven continents. The event sponsor, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), notes
that this year, iconic U.S. landmarks, too, will dim their lights as part of the largest
call for action on climate change in history.
Multiple Faiths
Many Americans Mix
American landmarks hitting the switch range from the Golden Gate Bridge
Western, Eastern, New Age
and Las Vegas strip to Mount Rushmore, joined by local monuments in or near
Beliefs
Seattle, Flagstaff, Indianapolis and Atlanta. Cities, schools, businesses and organi-
The latest poll by the Pew Research
zations in all 50 states are expected to participate.
Center’s Forum on Religion &
“Climate change is impacting our water resources, energy
Public Life finds that one-third of
supplies, transportation, agriculture and health, putting our
Americans attend religious services
livelihoods and economic future at risk in every part of the
at more than one place, while a
country,” explains WWF Climate Director Keya Chatterjee.
quarter of us sometimes attend
“Americans will not only be sending a signal that they want
religious services of a faith differ-
solutions to the climate crisis, they’ll be helping to turn the
ent from our own. Sixty percent
lights out on our nation’s dangerous dependency on foreign
attend at churches or houses of
oil and an unsustainable economic future.”
worship; other locations include
houses, schools, restaurants, hotels,
Find information and event tools at MyEarthHour.org; also see
parks and campgrounds. Some 38
EarthHourKids.org.
percent attend at least once a week
and 34 percent once or twice a
month or a few times a year; 27
percent say they seldom or never
attend religious services.
Earth Ambassadors Although the United States
Filmmakers Activate is an overwhelmingly Christian
Environmental Awareness
country, between 23 and 26 per-
Disney’s Tinker Bell may be Earth’s most
cent of the adults polled also say
appealing spokespixie, having been
they believe in a tenet of Eastern or
named the United Nations Honorary
New Age spirituality: reincarnation;
Ambassador of Green prior to the screen-
yoga as a spiritual practice; spiritual
ing of Walt Disney Pictures’ animated
energy located in physical things;
film, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure,
or astrology. Nearly three in 10 say
late last year. She’ll likely be on hand for
they have felt in touch with some-
this year’s Disney documentary debut of Oceans on Earth Day, April 22, and she’s
one who has died.
in good company.
In 2009, half of Americans
The top 10 environmental documentaries of 2009 hail from around the world,
polled said they have had “a reli-
aimed to shock, entertain and inspire humanity to make a difference. They exam-
gious or mystical experience, that
ine everything from the negative effects of America’s industrial agriculture system
is a moment of religious or spiritual
and the rising domination of the petrochemical industry to the threatened liveli-
awakening.” In 1962, only 22 per-
hood of trash-recycling entrepreneurs and people’s right to safe drinking water.
cent reported having had such an
experience.
For details on 2009’s best, visit mnn.com (Mother Nature Network) and search
“top films,” which also pulls up a look at what might be the top 10 environmental
Source: PewForum.org
activist films of all time.
natural awakenings March 2010
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