Tonight, March 28, at 8:30pm local time, I turned off my lights. And for one hour, I voted for Earth. It was Earth Hour. Wherever you live on Planet Earth, Earth Hour is a time of contemplation, a time for reflection, a time to vote for our planet.

This was the first year a vote for the planet became global. The election transcended borders, ethnicities, and ages. Started in Sydney in 2007, over two million homes switched their lights to "off" to make a stand against global warming. By 2008, the message was more transcontinental with the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Colosseum in Rome, and Sydney's famous Opera House all shrouded in illumination. Even in Times Square, bilboards rested in darkness.

But 2009, the globe set a different goal. A goal of one billion shutting off their lights for one hour. The idea being that this is a vote where your country of origin does not play a role, but rather your planet of origin - Planet Earth. 

Instead of having lights on tonight, I sat in darkness, warmed by the soft glow of a dozen or so candles I lit for the occasion. I made sure to put one in each of the children's rooms (as they are still unsettled by the dark). I looked outside for a brief moment, and I realized that I sat alone in the dark. But that is okay. Perhaps the neighbors forgot, or were unaware. 

Either way, I voted for Earth tonight in a global election of sorts, and it felt grand. I have been reading on which US cities participated. The Sears Tower, Empire State Building, and the Golden Gate bridge all dimmed their lights tonight. Not to be outdone, the famous strip in Las Vegas even went dark, including the world-famous Luxor Hotel & Casino, who's light can be seen from space. 

Where else in the world were lights shut off in honor of Earth Hour? The Bird's Nest in Beijing, China; Giza Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt; the Acropolis in Greece; over 1700 buildings in Hong Kong; the business disctrict in Jakarta, Indonesia; the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Rome's Colosseum; the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden; the Eiffel Tower in Paris (only for five minutes); the Connaught Place in New Delhi, India. 

Nearly four thousand cities joined forces in over 85 countries for the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored event to raise awareness for global warming.

I cannot wait to have my "Hi honey, I've landed safely" phone call from the pilot in a little while, who was flying across the country tonight, and ask him if he noticed anything unusual about the lights from cities. He is always commenting on city lights, and the sheer number of them.

Earth Hour. Mark your calenders for next year. Thank you for reading.