Caroline Goucher sent ECI this report:
Tea lights surrounded the town’s centre piece as the ‘The Rolling Sun Singers’ choir set the atmosphere, followed by Piper Elisha Gannon playing a medley that led to spontaneous dancing, such was the magical atmosphere created by the crowd of 90 that gathered last Saturday night in Westport for the celebration of Earth Hour 2019.
This symbolic show of solidarity in this global event for the planet, was opened by Caroline Goucher stating that ‘Earth Hour offers us all an opportunity to spend a focussed hour with our global community taking action for climate change’.
‘This year there is more of an urgency than ever to gather, unite and advocate for Our Planet’.
‘Children and future generations will be most impacted by climate change’.
In the introduction of Amber Sunhine Farrell, leaving certificate student of the Sacred Heart School Westport recited the speech that was given to her fellow students for the recent Climate Strikes. She was compared to Greta Thunberg (Swedish schoolgirl addressed the UN COP20 meeting in mobilising for change, and shifting political priorities in support of climate action).
Amber passionately provided us with the reality that faces her generation and the simple small changes each of us can make by refusing single use plastics and curbing our addiction to plastics for the protection of future generations of our society. An appeal to the adults who consume and to those decision makers and government bodies to make the hard choices, to do so now, time is not a luxury we have, to ensure their future on this planet is stable.
Thanks were extended to the many local businesses that were supportive by switching off non-essential lighting and active in their support on social media.
The event moved indoors for the boutique celebration of ‘Tea and Tunes by Tealight’, in Christy’s Harvest and Leafy Greens Cafe to acoustic songs with local musicians. Videos & photos can be viewed on the Westport Eco-Congregation Facebook page.
Above photo: Frank Dolan – members of Westport Eco-Congregation with the gathering on The Octagon, Westport for the global event ‘Earth Hour’ to power-down and raise awareness for the planet.