Since my children and I were home last evening (I sent my husband to the theater without me due to my 10-year-old’s bug), I suggested that we turn out the lights to observe Earth Hour. My suggestion prompted some initial groans from my eight-year-old, but we discussed the reasons for and benefits of “unplugging,” which blossomed into a discussion about conservation and the environment, and by 7:45 he was as on board as my 10-year old, a self-labeled “tree hugger,” who is all about conservation. We didn’t go hardcore, unplugging everything. Our participation was more symbolic, and involved simply turning off the lights in every room. My children opened the front door and looked out onto our street and what they saw at that moment made the exercise worthwhile. Not a house light was on in our immediate vicinity. Granted, we can only see four houses from ours, but they were all dark, which made us feel like we were part of something bigger than ourselves. A little bigger, at least.