At 8pm on 29 March 2008, millions of people around the world will unite and switch off for Earth Hour. Originating in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour was created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced. It uses the simple action of turning off lights and electrical appliances for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.
In 2007, more than two million people and 2,100 Sydney businesses switched off their lights for the hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney’s energy consumption by 10.2 per cent for one hour and saved 24.86 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to taking more than 48,600 cars off the road for an hour.
Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said that last year, Sydneysiders began the Earth Hour journey, and now it is time to take Earth Hour to the rest of the world.
“From rural towns in the outback to highly populated iconic cities – everyone can take simple steps to make Earth Hour happen,” she said.
In 2008, cities from across Europe, North America, Asia and Asia Pacific, including Chicago, Copenhagen, Manila, Melbourne, Sydney, Tel Aviv and Toronto have been named as the flagship participants.
Greater Shepparton City Council in northern Victoria has also joined the international campaign. At its various offices and facilities, Council will turn out lights, switch off computers and unplug urns to save energy and the planet.
Shepparton Mayor, Councillor Eric Bott, said the city’s 58,000 residents are invited to join millions of people worldwide in a collective effort to do something about the state of our environment.
“The campaign is an example of how simple actions can impact on climate change and sends a powerful message that Shepparton
residents are serious about the future of the planet,” he said. “As a regional centre that relies heavily on climatic conditions, it is impossible to ignore a campaign such as this, but we need everybody’s help to make a difference.”
Council is now considering options to maximise its involvement in the event and will investigate where lighting can safely be switched off during the allocated Earth Hour and possibly for a chosen hour during business hours on Friday 28 March.
Brisbane Lord Mayor, Councillor Campbell Newman, said that all cities across southeast Queensland will take part in the ‘Earth Hour’ blackout,
which could see nearly three million people taking part.
“My colleagues in all the Local Government areas making up the Council of Mayors have taken up the cause and will be contributing to an almighty southeast Queensland blackout,” he said.
The Council of Mayors region stretches from Noosa in the north, to Toowoomba in the west, to Coolangatta in the south, and includes 17 Councils (11 post amalgamation on
15 March). It could be the single largest participating region across Australia.
Councillor Newman said it sent a powerful message from this corner of the world that large scale change is possible. He described it as the Mexican wave effect and said what Brisbane will do during Earth Hour will not just last 60 minutes.
“How much energy we save will go toward showing people how they can make permanent and continual energy savings through Brisbane’s GreenHeart CitySmart initiative,” Councillor Newman said. “The campaign shows families and businesses inexpensive ways to save water and reduce their own carbon footprint on a house by house, and street by street basis. We can make huge collective energy savings, just as we have made world class water savings.
“In Brisbane we love our unique lifestyle and we are committed to protecting it.”
For further information or to register to take part in Earth Hour visit www.earthhour.org
