On Saturday, March 29, from 8 to 9 in the evening local time, hundreds of thousands of lights around the world will go dark for Earth Hour. The one hour event is intended to send a powerful message around the world about how important it is to reduce global warming and how many people care enough to take action.
Earth Hour is all about the simple changes everyone can make. Run by WWF, the global conservation organization, Earth Hour was initiated in Australia on March 31, 2007. Earth Hour moved 2.2 million people and 2,100 businesses in Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour.
This collective effort reduced the city’s energy consumption by 10.2 percent for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for an hour.
With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice.
This year Earth Hour is going global.
Andy Ridley, executive director said, “Powering down a city’s skyline and some of the world’s most iconic structures and premier properties is a highly calculated and intricate process, and allowances need to be made to account for safety.”
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The Smith Family enjoys Earth Hour 2007 under the Sydney Harbour Bridge at Milson’s Point. (Photo by Jamie Williams) |
“What makes this a unique event is that it brings together governments, business and householders who all play a part in switching off the lights. Working together, individual households alongside the world’s most magnificent iconic landmarks can make an impact in the fight against climate change,” Ridley said.”On behalf of the WWF International network, I want to commend and thank the mayors and officials in our flagship cities for playing a leadership role in supporting this unique global event and demonstrating their commitment to fighting climate change,” says WWF Director General James Leape, praising mayors in the all the cities that have signed up to go dark for Earth Hour.
Some of the flagship cities are – Atlanta, San Francisco, Phoenix, Bangkok, Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal, Dublin, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense, Manila, Suva, Chicago, Tel Aviv, Toronto and Christchurch. They all will switch off for Earth Hour on Saturday March 29, at 8 pm local time.
Sign up for Earth Hour at: www.earthhour.org.
