To the Editor:

At 8:30 p.m. on March 29, hundreds of millions of people will turn off their lights in a worldwide display of commitment to protect our planet.

Earth Hour is a visual reminder that the world's environmental issues don't have to overwhelm us; we all can do something. This single act of turning off the lights is uniting businesses, governments and communities while provoking discussion, capturing imaginations and empowering people to make a difference.

Earth Hour is a chance for our area to be a leader in environmental solutions. Now, more than ever we need to address climate change one person, one town, and one city at a time. It's local governments and communities that are feeling the brunt of climate change especially when it comes to caring for citizens during extreme weather like tornadoes, floods, droughts, polar votexes and heat waves and it's local governments like ours that must lead the development of sensible solutions to this global crisis.

So I'm asking our area leaders to do two things: First, commit to participating in Earth Hour by turning out all non-essential lighting in government offices and buildings. Let's show the world that our city is committed to a future where humans can live in harmony with nature.

Second, I urge our local officials to continue to build on the momentum created by Earth Hour. Let's find ways to power our area with renewable electricity to reduce our impact on our planet and help our community actively reduce its contribution to climate change.

Kristen Van Tassell

Centreville