"Earth hour" seeks to turn off lights for an hour
Times Colonist Published: Friday, March 30, 2007
Light the candles; turn off the lights and TV and relax for an hour Saturday night in the knowledge that you are doing something concrete to combat climate change. Earth Hour, an initiative that started in Australia by the World Wildlife Foundation and the Sydney Morning Herald, has spread to Canada. Through e-mails, now fanning out through B.C., it is gaining steam.
Participants - whether companies or individuals - are being asked to turn off the lights for one hour between 7.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. PDT. Organizers are hoping savings in greenhouse gas emissions in one hour will be the equivalent of taking 75,000 medium-sized cars off the road for a year. "Earth Hour will help us all to realize just how simply we can make a dramatic impact on global warming (and our own power bills). We will see it in action," says the e-mail, which is being distributed through individuals and environmental organizations.
Part of the aim is to increase awareness of bad power habits, such as household appliances on standby, using old-style light bulbs instead of LED, and leaving lights burning when they are not needed. "Make it an event," suggest Earth Hour organizers. "Get the neighbors to switch off their lights and head out into the park for the hour. Take some binoculars and look at the stars. Sit and talk. Explore your backyard by flashlight. Have fun with sparklers or just go for a stroll."
On the net:
www.earthhour.org