Lights Out for Earth Hour!

It feels a little like waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Earth Hour will finally arrive tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. local time. What will you be doing for that hour? Why not join the estimated one billion people in 1000 cities “going dark” for Earth Hour? Don’t be left in the light.

The Earth Hour event is a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiative designed to remind people to take action on climate change. In case you haven’t heard, the goal is for as many individuals, businesses, communities, and governments as possible to turn off all nonessential lighting for one hour. It’s a dramatic symbol of unity in the fight against what many believe to be the most serious of all the environmental problems.

This is the third annual Earth Hour event, with 64 countries expected to participate. Landmarks that will go dark include the Roman Colosseum, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, and Times Square’s Coca Cola billboard. According to the WWF, lights switched off for Earth Hour will be “symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.”

WWF and the Experience Project (EP) are teaming up to involve the public in several interesting ways. EP calls itself “the largest site for anonymously connecting and sharing common experiences.” EP will also go dark during Earth Hour. According to an EP press release, “For every 100 points EP members pledge (points are earned by participating in challenges, posting stories, etc.), the site will go dark for one second. The goal is to keep the site dark for as long as possible.”

Additional EP initiatives include “a 30 day challenge to turnoff all unnecessary appliances, signing a petition to conserve energy, or playing trivia games where accrued points can be used to buy time to keep the EP homepage dark during the day of the event.” Join us at BPGL with your own pledge to go dark on the EP site.

Facebook users can also earn “Earth Minutes” by sending messages that urge their Facebook friends to participate in Earth Hour. By reaching 60 friends, users will achieve the equivalent of 60 minutes of Earth Hour participation.

Joining the Earth Hour initiative is easy. All it takes is the simple flip of a light switch. But don’t sit there in the dark secretly watching your TV behind closed curtains. Get in the spirit. Turn off all nonessential lights and appliances — yes, including that TV. Get together with people who matter to you. Make a party of it. Lie out under the stars, if you can see them. Huddle together by a fireplace. Or just lounge in your living space and talk. Share stories about the natural world you remember from your youth. Share dreams of the future you’d like to leave for your grandchildren. Make plans to reduce your own carbon footprint and reduce your own impact on climate change. Together we can make a positive difference. (Yes, we can.)

Julia Wasson

Blue Planet Green Living (Home Page)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Supports Earth Hour

Washington - February 20, 2009: Archbishop Desmond Tutu has lent his voice to World Wildlife Fund Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

“Climate change is the greatest human induced crisis facing the world today. It is totally indiscriminate of race, culture and religion. It affects every human being on the planet,” said the Archbishop.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu announces his support of Earth Hour 2009.

With over 500 cities in 75 countries already signed up to take part in the lights out campaign, Earth Hour 2009 – Saturday, March 28^th at 8:30 p.m. - is anticipated to be one of the greatest social movements the world has ever witnessed.

As the recipient of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his work in advocating civil rights equality, Desmond Tutu knows better than most the power of individuals uniting for a common cause.

“Earth Hour is an opportunity for every man, woman and child from all corners of the globe to come together with a united voice and make a loud and powerful statement on the issue of climate change,” he said.

With new cities signing up to the campaign every day, the support of one of the world’s most respected figures will resonate across the globe, ensuring millions more people switch off their lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28^th. In the U.S., our key cities are Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York City and San Francisco, while Homer Glen, IL; Houston, TX; Minneapolis, MN; San Rosa, CA; Sarasota, FL and St. Louis, MO are supporting.

Earth Hour 2009 aims to empower citizens from all over the world with the ability to voice their concern on climate change. Essentially, it is the world’s first global vote for action on climate change and casting your vote is as easy as flicking a switch.

With the world’s leaders due to meet in December at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, the Archbishop can see the importance and the potential of Earth Hour 2009.

“If we all perform this one simple act together, it will send a message to our governments too powerful for them to ignore. They will know the eyes of the world are watching,” he said.

Other notable names lending their support to Earth Hour include Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett, Janeane Garofalo, Alanis Morissette, Wynonna Judd, Big Kenny (Big & Rich), Gavin DeGraw, KT Tunstall, Mary Mary, Rise Against, Jo Dee Messina, Kathy Mattea, Simple Plan, Finger Eleven, Jennette McCurdy and others.

Earth Hour U.S. has been made possible in part due to the contributions of HP, The Coca Cola Company, Esurance, Wells Fargo, and Cox Conserves.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour

Earth Hour is a global initiative of WWF, in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change.

WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit World Wildlife Fund to learn more.

Blue Planet Green Living (Home Page)