Turn off the lights and turn on your curiosity during Earth Hour this year.
The Okotoks Museum and Archives will be hosting an Earth Hour Heritage Walk from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on March 19.
In 2007 the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia by encouraging people to turn off all non-essential electronics for one hour. The movement has since grown to include 172 countries and territories worldwide and focuses on raising awareness of climate change.
Last year, the Okotoks Museum ran its first Earth Hour Heritage Walk.
“Rather than having people sit around bored in the dark for an hour, why not come out and have a free walking tour?” said Kathy Coutts, Okotoks Museum and Archives specialist.
Beginning at the museum, Coutts will give the history of the Heritage House, the train station, the general store, the old post office and moves up McRae Street.
The tour changes every time she goes out with a group, she said.
“It’s a flexible tour,” said Coutts. “I’m always learning new stories about the businesses and people who made up Okotoks’ history, so the tour is never the exact same as it was before.”
Beginning promptly at 8:30 p.m., the heritage tour lasts the duration of Earth Hour, winding up back at the museum at 9:30 p.m., she said.
She said the time constraint means the group doesn’t cover too much distance, though they are sure to cover a lot of historical ground.
“It’s interesting, it’s informative,” said Coutts. “Okotoks has some interesting characters that I talk about.”
In the smaller, intimate setting she can also field questions from tour-takers as they walk the streets of Okotoks, she said.
The Earth Hour Heritage Walk will take place in any weather, she said, so people are encouraged to dress accordingly.
“We’ll go rain or shine – or snow – it’s March, so anything goes,” said Coutts.
The walk is free and there is no need to pre-register. There is no minimum or maximum number of people for the tour, she said.
“If two people show up, it’s enough to do a tour,” said Coutts. “It’s all drop-in, for any age, and I’ll talk to anyone who shows up at 8:30.”
The Town of Okotoks is also encouraging all residents who observe Earth Hour to take a photo or video after 9:30 p.m. to show how they spent the hour and post it to the Town’s Facebook or Twitter feed to enter a contest for a $50 energy prize pack.
For more information visit www.okotoks.ca or www.earthhour.org
