But regardless of who is spinning what, the fact is this planet is struggling.

Opinion polls suggest climate change might be falling off the public radar. People are groaning under the weight of a global financial crisis. And perhaps they are becoming desensitised to the relentless volume of stories surrounding global warming, emissions targets, carbon trading and water .

But we will rue the day when we have to explain to our grandchildren why we saved banks and not the environment. And indeed, without a healthy planet, our financial woes will be irrelevant.

Switching off our power for just one hour reminds us all, simply, that we can do something. It is an annual circuit breaker forgive the pun to ennui. A psychological lift that reminds everyone that it is not too big, too hard or too out of one's control to do something, no matter how small.

How often, now, does one consider turning off a light, a computer, or having a short shower?

From a modest initiative developed by Fairfax, The World Wild Life Fund and Leo Burnett, three years ago to the current global involvement, Earth Hour has made a difference. The collective energy saved in just 60 minutes is a dramatic reminder to modify our everyday behaviour.

And dramatic it is. More than 830 landmarks around the world were plunged into darkness for Earth Hour, including the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Canberra's Parliament House.

The number of cities and towns that have joined the movement since last year has swelled from 371 to at least 3929. Some of the newly listed landmarks to switch off lights this year are the Eiffel Tower, Beijing's Bird's Nest Olympic stadium, The London Eye and Egypt's Great Pyramids at Giza. Even climbers taking on Mount Everest intended to carry an Earth Hour flag with them.

That's a lot of interest and a lot of people making an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. From the small candlelit dinner to the Vatican's decision to get on board, Earth Hour makes people think, act and in the longer term, change their ways. Before it is too late.