At 8.30 PM on Saturday 26 March this year, lights will switch off all around the globe for Earth Hour.

This is a tremendous opportunity for every single person, all businesses and each community to switch their lights off for one hour in a collective display of commitment to protect the one thing that unites us all - our planet.

However, this year, when the lights go back on, consider how you will continue to adopt sustainability practices thereafter on a day to day basis that will benefit the planet...Together our actions add up.

Some of the things that our family do and you may wish to consider taking on as a daily practice in both home and the business environment are:

• Refuse to purchase products that are made from non-recyclable plastic
• Limit the amount of time you use the air conditioner
• Reduce the time you spend in the shower.
• Ensure that you and your family turn the lights off when you’re out of the room
• Unplug the phone charger and turn off the power point when not in use. Or, simply unplug all items that are not in use.
• Buy local – eat, drink and dress in locally made products. By doing so you reduce your carbon footprint.
• Turn off the computers at the end of each day.
• Re-use paper and print on both sides.
• Make the time to walk or ride your bike for some of those daily errands instead of using the car in every instance.
• Compost kitchen scraps to then use in your garden.
• Wash the car on the grass with environmentally friendly car wash.
• Water the plants of an evening or early in the morning.
• Collecting grey water from bath and use it to water plants.
• Turn off the lights now and again and use organic or beeswax candles

Even if you make just one small change, that's enough. Collectively we can then 'Make a Difference'.