Earth Hour 2024, known as the “Biggest Hour for Earth,” is set for March 23rd. Since its inception by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007, Earth Hour has been a symbolic gesture of commitment to the planet by turning off lights for one hour. Despite its noble cause, the awareness of the event was limited, with only 52% of the global population being aware of it. Our guests today, Phil Wilce and Antonia Simon, from EPAM Continuum, a research and strategy firm, worked with the World Wildlife Fund to revitalize the campaign and expand its outreach efforts in light of the escalating climate crisis. This project offers insights on storytelling about the environment and humanity’s impact on nature, a topic that resonates with listeners of Sustainability In Your Ear in both their work and personal lives.
The project’s focus was on reaching a new target audience, termed as “the inactive middle,” encompassing individuals of all ages and backgrounds who exhibit inaction due to eco-anxiety and eco-fatigue. The strategy aimed to transform Earth Hour from a single event into a gateway for positive nature-based actions, with the introduction of “Biggest Hour for Earth” as a key message. New engaging activities around Earth Hour in 2024 include an in-world Fortnite experience designed to attract young participants to the program.
For more information on Earth Hour, visit https://www.earthhour.org/ and learn about EPAM at https://www.epam.com/
