With just a flick of a switch, you can join nearly 1 billion others in saving energy to save the planet during the fourth annual Earth Hour
It’s hard to fathom that something as simple as turning off your lights could have a real impact in combating climate change, but that’s exactly the idea behind Earth Hour—a global event sponsored by the
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designed to highlight the importance of energy conservation in the fight against global warming.
Event organizers are hoping that more than 1 billion participants March 27 will help stage what should be a visually stunning event: Individuals, organizations, corporations and governments around the world will come together to make a bold statement about their concern for climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour.
Getting the Message Across
“In the U.S. where we are already feeling the impacts of climate change, Earth Hour sends a clear message that Americans care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air, dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate change impacts, and make the switch to cleaner air, a strong economic future and a more secure nation,” explains Andy Ridley, executive director for Earth Hour Global.
Participation is easy. By flipping off your lights at 8:30 p.m. local time, March 27, you will show your support for the kind of energy conservation that can make a real difference in the level of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. WWF offers participants several ways to get involved online, including
toolkits that can help you make the most out of your participation or learn how to lead the Earth Hour movement in your community.
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A Global Lights Out
Last year’s participants made some bold statements in support of the movement.
In Peru, the population woke on the morning of March 28, 2009 to see the national El Comercio newspaper with an entirely black front page, and it wasn't because the ink had run. Instead, it was a way for the nation’s most prominent daily newspaper to issue a call to action on climate change for Earth Hour.
More than 100 cities and towns, more than 200 UK landmarks and dozens of world-famous cultural symbols including Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster in London, and Edinburgh Castle, also went dark during last year’s Earth Hour. |
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More than 100 cities and towns, more than 200 UK landmarks and dozens of world-famous cultural symbols including Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster in London, and
Edinburgh Castle, also went dark during last year’s Earth Hour.
In Beijing, China, the iconic
Bird's Nest (as the country’s National Stadium is known) and
Water Cube (its Olympic Swin Center) were blanketed in darkness to raise awareness about the need for action on climate change. The landmark structures were part of a series of prominent buildings in the Olympic Park area that went dark in support of the global Earth Hour lights off initiative.
Even Paris—the “City of Lights”—participated. Officials agree to have the world-famous Eifel Tower go dark for Earth Hour, representing France’s support for the initiative.
Going Dark to Shed Light
This year, organizers hope for an even more enthusiastic response, but they’ll need your support.
To participate, mark your calendars for March 27 and set your alarms for 8:30 pm for your time zone. At the appointed time, turn off all the lights and keep them off for one full hour.
You can have an even bigger pro-environment impact by encouraging your friends, colleagues, family and neighbors to join you in honoring Earth Hour.
To learn more about how to participate, get more information on the environmental impact of energy conservation, or to find out how you can support the WWF’s eco efforts, visit
EarthHour.org.
- Take me back home -