AT 8.30pm tomorrow, a blanket of sustainability-motivated darkness will descend on the Swan Hill region, as residents switch off for Earth Hour.
In 2015, the Earth Hour campaign will highlight a cause close to the region’s heart — the future of agriculture in light of changing weather conditions.
Farmers are on the frontline of rising temperatures and more extreme weather.
Increasing temperatures and a substantial decline in winter rainfall has seen Victorian farmers experience some of the biggest climate changes in Australia.
For local rose petal farmer Sarah Sammon (pictured), the effects of warmer weather are visible.
On her property of 6000 rose bushes, picking used to finish in late May, but over the past couple of years it has extended into July.
July is usually the time for pruning, but last year it didn’t finish until September, pushing up labour costs.
Sustainability is something Ms Sammon has embraced in her business, a way to ensure efficiency and longevity into the future.
People across the country are encouraged to register their support for Earth Hour at www.earthhour.org.au and get active on social media using the hashtag #AppetiteforChange.
For more on this story pick up a copy of Friday’s Guardian (March 27).
