From 8:30pm until 9:30pm Saturday, World Wildlife Federation Canada is encouraging the public to take part in Earth Hour, a time to reflect on how to stand up against climate change.

President and CEO of WWF-Canada, Megan Leslie, says people in 190 countries will be taking part in the initiative, and there are numerous things people can do to improve the state of the environment.

“I would recommend sitting down and having a conversation with your family or your loved ones or with your neighbours, whoever’s close to you, and think about ‘what does this mean to us?’” Lesie suggests. “Whether it’s signing a petition or taking action by planting a native plant in your yard and getting that biodiversity back, there are all kinds of things that you can do.”

Several more actions that can be taken include joining a campaign, signing up for re:grow…an online environmental resources hub, or registering for WWF Climb for Nature; a fundraiser for the environment.

Leslie says many people think taking a stand against climate change is scary, because the issue seems so large, however, she assures that we can change the course that we’re on with time, attention, and teamwork.

“The thought of climate change, of wildlife loss, can be so overwhelming, so let’s look at what the solutions are. Yeah, we’re going to all need to be able to do this across Canada. We’re going to need our governments. We’re going to need all the levels being involved, but we can do it as individuals, too, even just by planting one plant or protecting one little area in our neighborhood.”