Earth Hour
What is it? Where did it all begin?
It started by asking: How can we inspire people to take
action on climate change?
The answer: Ask the people of Sydney, Australia to turn
off their lights for one hour.
March 31, 2007, 2.2 million people and 2,100
Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour-- Earth Hour. If the
greenhouse reduction achieved then were sustained for a year, it would be
equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year. In Sydney community events and parties are
being organized for the 2008 event. Many
families plan to make the pilgrimage down to the city’s famous harbor foreshore
to watch the city go dim on Earth Hour night.
The business community is again collaborating to simultaneously ‘power
down’, alongside iconic sites such as the Harbor Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Centrepoint Tower, and Kings Cross’ landmark Coca-Cola
sign, which will result in an even greater ‘lights out’ effect on what is
usually a glittering skyline.
Here are some of the
activities of world cities and countries for the 2008 occasion. It has since become a global movement.
Chicago, a leader in environmental
initiatives, is encouraging its residents across the region to make the
pledge to help fight global warming by voluntarily turning off their lights
for 60 minutes. Signature skyscrapers, key landmarks, theater marquees and
shops on the Magnificent Mile will voluntarily turn off their lights. ComEd, the northern Illinois power utility, is a major sponsor of Earth Hour. Tel-Aviv will be the lead
city in Israel participating in Earth Hour and will be the kick off city
world wide as we will be turning off lights on Thursday March 27, between
20:00-21:00 due to the Jewish Sabbath.
Tel-Aviv’s goal is to reach a power reduction of at least 5% on the
night of Earth Hour with the Israeli Electricity Company measuring the drop
of collective electricity use during the event. An
educational packet is being used in the elementary school science classes
and an Earth Hour walk will be held on the morning of March 27th. Outdoor Event On
Earth Hour, an unplugged concert, will be happening in Tel-Aviv’s major
square. All energy supplied to the stage and minimal lighting required for
safety will come from renewed and alternative energy sources. A cycling
site that produces energy from cyclists riding on the spot will also be
erected on the night. Fiji’s contribution to
climate change is almost negligible at less than 1% of global CO2 emissions. However, it is at the forefront of its
impacts. Therefore Fiji is willing to take action and increase awareness on
climate change through Earth Hour.
Fiji’s participation sends a message to the cities and countries of
the developed world that emit far more greenhouse gases: If the people of
Fiji are doing their part, so can they.
Some other cities
joining are: Dublin, Ireland: Vancouver,
Canada; San Francisco, United States; Bangkok, Thailand; Manila, Philippines;
Copenhagen, Denmark
Hundreds more Cities and Thousands of Businesses and
Individuals have joined in including
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI!!
Columbia
Climate Change Coalition mntwelch@peoplepc.com (573) 443-4717