Earth Hour in Beijing

After landing in Beijing, I talked with a Gen Y (26 years old) named Wilma who mentioned she would be observing Earth Hour. In less than 12 hours, it will be Earth Hour. No matter where you are in the world, at 8:30pm on March 28th, you are supposed to turn off your lights and reduce your use of electricity. I heard of this in the U.S. as a way to recognize the impact of human life on the environment, but know of no one who will be observing this challenge. It struck me that my Chinese host Wilma was trying to tie in to the interconnected world with me. She assumed that this is a worldwide phenomena, perhaps akin to celebrate the New Year's Eve with fireworks or balls dropping all over the world. Is Earth Hour something only Gen Ys care to celebrate?

Stay tuned....I will let you know if I see a darkening of the buildings in Beijing tonight. Also, I will let you know what else is on Wilma's mind, a newlywed who has her own apartment.