This year’s Oscars was an amazing triumph for Leonardo DiCaprio and all his fans, including me. I remember the exact moment he won. My friends and I were glued to the television set and texting each other in anticipation during the Best Actor in a Leading Role category. When they FINALLY announced his name for best actor, everyone in the venue stood up, clapping for this long overdue victory. I am pretty sure viewers were screaming in their own homes and jumping for joy. I know my girlfriends did, telling me they felt it was like they won the award themselves.
What resonated with me after the ceremony was what the actor included in his speech. He seized the opportunity to promote his passion for a cause and what better time to do it? In case you were really, really busy and live in a home with no television, this was what he mentioned: “Making The Revenant was about man’s relationship to the natural world. A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real. It is happening now.”
This Saturday, the world will be participating in Earth Hour, where we simply have to switch off our lights for an hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. as a symbolic act to honor the planet. It originated in Australia in 2007 and since then, the idea has increased in popularity, touching more than 7,000 cities and towns in over 150 countries globally. It is a simple act for each individual or company but one that the campaign hopes is the beginning of creating a more sustainable world. It is a gentle reminder that we have to take care of our environment. Even in our simple, humble ways, we can take baby steps towards this, and I took the liberty of sharing some of my actions that we can easily incorporate into our homes and daily lives.
1. During the night, the whole household is asleep and we no longer need any light to do any work. I switch everything off except a couple of LED lights in case anyone wanted to go to the kitchen for a glass of water. This is so simple, anyone can apply this right away.
2. I live in a three-bedroom condominium and we used to cool two of the bedrooms with air conditioning. Three years ago, my bill would reach almost P8,000 monthly. The last two years however, we decided to take advantage of the wind that is present in our level to cool us and used electric fans. Because of this change in lifestyle, we didn’t need to use our duvets and comforters anymore which equates to less washing and water. If it really is too hot to do this and you need the air-conditioner, just use a timer so it stops after a certain hour.
3. As much as possible, I maximize the natural light present in my home. I love the sun and personally, everything looks better with natural light. I do not switch on those lights unless it is absolutely necessary which is around 5:45 p.m. when the sun goes down. We have a balcony so I sometimes use candles if I want dinner al fresco style with some ambience. Haha! It is also an excuse to make things more romantic with your partner. When you plan to use candles, make sure to shop for soy candles or 100 percent beeswax candles which happen to be non-toxic and smoke free. These natural products are carbon neutral.
Aside from saving the earth, it also saved me some money. For the past two years, my Meralco bill now ranges from P1,300 to P1,800 monthly. That is a huge change from paying the previous P8,000 a month. I hope my personal story inspired you that it can be done and being conscious of the environment can start today. As Leonardo DiCaprio says, “It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.”
Follow me on Instagram @cal_tavera
