Save the date: March 6 is: M'illumino di meno (I enlighten me less)

[ErmesT]

Hallo Local Guides!!

Yes, it’s correct. SAVE THE DATE, March 6 is: M’illumino di meno (I enlighten me less)

What is M’illumino di meno?

It is an easy Environmental Initiative that this year take place on March 6, from 6 to 7 PM

A bit of story:

M’illumino d’immenso (I enlighten myself of immense) is the title of one of the most famous poem of one of the Italian Master of hermeticism, Giuseppe Ungaretti.

On 2005, the Italian national public radio “Rai-Radio2” paraphrased and transformed the title in M’illumino di meno (I enlighten me less) for an environmental program.

At the beginning it was just a proposal to switch off the lights for one hour, on the Friday closest to February 16th (the day of the entry into force of Kyoto protocol), and to monitor the reduction of the National consumption of energy on that hour (usually 6 to 7 pm).

Year by year the program was becoming bigger and bigger, with the adhesion of the Local Authorities first (city councils), followed by the national authorities and the Italian Government. They started to switch off the light on the famous monuments, like the Colosseum in Rome. Europe followed quickly, and on 2008 the president of the European Parliament acknowledged the initiative as "an event that has a symbolic value and a tangible effect".

Europe started to follow the event, switching of monuments like the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Nelson’s Column in London.

On 2014 the British Embassy joined officially: British Embassy in Rome joins Italian energy-saving initiative . There are actually a lot of places around the world that join, switching off the light of famous monuments, offices, squares.

This year the topics, together with switching off the lights, are:

• Planting a tree, a plant, a flower
• Fighting Plastic pollution

What about us? #LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld will join.

We can post a photo of the three they are planting, or a candlelit dinner, or whatever can be considered an environmental initiative, and we will do it on the week of March 6.

Are you with us? Write a reply here, and tell us “I’m IN”

Are you looking for other Local Guides who joined around you? Here’s the map: M’illumino di meno - The Map

Check here for the FAQ page

A new post will be started in March, where to post our contributions

The post for your contributions is HERE: March 6 is: M’illumino di meno [Worldwide RECAP]

[ErmesT]

I’m IN

Name: Ermes

Country: Italy

City: Treviso

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help the planet

This reply will be used also as a FAQ page, that will be updated according to your questions

FAQ

• Is this activity only for Switching light for one hour?

No, even if shutdown the lights is the “basic” topic of m’illumino di meno, you can join with every Green initiative that you can do. The topic of this year if to plant a tree, but you can plant a flower on your balcony (if you don’t have a garden) or you can join others for planting trees on a park, or in a school.

You can also follow this tip from @KarenVChin : “for planting a flower or a shrub, if you have no garden, could you buy a potted plant (flower, shrub, herb) for your house indoors (if you don’t have a balcony) or outdoors” Follow this link for more details

Or, following the @LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld philosophy, you can collect plastic, or organize a meet-up (great). This is up to you, and your ideas may also inspire others, so feel free to share with us your feeling

• Are we switching off the lights at 6 to 7 pm no matter the timezone?

The initiative started from Italy, and 6 to 7 pm CET (5 to 6 pm GMT) is when the event will be live on Radio, but of course you can adapt it to your own Country time (and sun light). Feel free to do this in the best moment for you.

• I cannot do it on March 6. Can I do it in a different moment?

Of course you can. What is important for the environment is not to do it on March 6 (even if it is beautiful to be “virtually” together). Just let us know your plan, and add your photos on the post that will be created on that week, to collect all the contributions

• Where can I find other Local Guides on my country to do this together?

There is map of the location of the Local Guides who are joining the initiative. Follow this link to open the map: M’illumino di meno - The Map

Stay tuned for more

[Jesi]

This is very nice, @ErmesT . I had read about people doing this on previous years but always found out about it too late. I’l save the date now to participate.

I’m IN

Name: Jesica

Country: Argentina

City: Buenos Aires

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help the planet

Just one question, are we switching off the lights at 6 to 7pm no matter the timezone, or should I check when will be the time in Argentina to do it, so everyone in the world participates together?

[ErmesT]

Thank you so much @Jesi , you are the first to join l!!!

Great question. The time 6 to 7 pm (CET) was defined by the organizers because at that time, in winter, in Italy is dark, and because 6 pm is the time when they will be live on radio.

But of course, as you are in a different timezone, and on the south hemisphere, you have to adapt the light shutdown to your situation.

You can choose to do it on the same day (8 hours later than me) or on the day before, or on the weekend, if it is easier for you. Of course, if you choose to plant a tree, you will do it with the daylight.

Thank you again for joining.

[ShafiulB]

@ErmesT Hi! This is a big reminder. I would like to join you all from Dhaka, Bangladesh. @Jesi you also doing inspiring!

I’m IN

Name: Shafiul

Country: Bangladesh

City: Dhaka

*I will back here with more information!

[JanVanHaver]

I’m IN

Name: Jan

Country: Belgium

City: Hamme

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help the planet and will share the details later.

[JaneBurunina]

I’m IN

Name: Zhanna

Country: Ukraine

City: Mykolaiv

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help our planet.

Thank you, Ermes for sharing information!

[Julien44]

I am IN

Name: Julien

Country : France

City: Nantes

All bits count to save our world!

Thanks @ErmesT for the initiative

[KashifMisidia]

Hello @ErmesT once again, you came with another great initiative.

Count me in.

I’m IN

Name: Kashif Abdul Razzaq

Country: Pakistan

City: Karachi

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help the planet

What about you @Bilal_shaikh , @sheeraz @Muhammad_Usman @Hassan_ali30 @FazeelUsmani @user_not_found @ComradeShah @Danish_Raza ???

[ErmesT]

Great to see you here, @ShafiulB

Bangladesh is IN, this is simply amazing

[AlexandreCampbell]

I’m IN

Name: Alexandre

Country: Brazil

City: Volta Redonda

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help the planet.

[ErmesT]

Welcome on board @JanVanHaver

Feel free to let us know, on the next post, what you plan to do.

I am happy to have you here. Hope to be able to cover the whole European map soon

[ErmesT]

Hey, so good that Ukraine is here @JaneBurunina

Please share the message to all the Local Guides of your country. I am sure they will like to join too.

What about Russia, @helga19 ? Are you with US

[Cecilita]

Ho @ErmesT ! Great initiative!!

I’m IN

Name: Cecilia Ratto

Country: Argentina

City: Buenos Aires

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help the planet

[FaridTDF]

*Muy buena iniciativa @ErmesT *

Estoy dentro

Nombre: Farid

País: Argentina

City: Río Grande - Tierra del Fuego

Me uno a M’illumino di meno, para ayudar al planeta

[LuigiZ]

I’m IN

Name: Luigi

Country: Italy

City: Lucca

I am joining M’illumino di meno, to help the planet.

Thank you @ErmesT for this nice initiative!

[ErmesT]

Bienvenue @Julien44 , I am happy to have Nantes joining too.

A big hug

[AntonKuts]

I’m IN)

[ErmesT]

That’s great, @AlexandreCampbell .

I am so happy to see you here.

It is amazing. Less than 24 hours, and we are already filling the Map.

[AlexandreCampbell]

It is my pleasure @ErmesT . let’s show the local guides power!