Turn off the light for Earth Hour on March 29

NI Wire

New Delhi

Fri, 28 Mar 2008: 

Million of people will stay in glorified darkness for an hour on March 29, as the world has geared to make a statement about climate change by turning off the lights for Earth Hour on Saturday night from 8p.m onwards.

The concept of Earth Hour was created by World Wildlife Fund in Sydney, Australia last ar in 2007.

Interestingly the local phenomenon has snowballed into a global movement.

This year 200 cities around the globe will participate in this unique way of sending a message by turning off the lights for Earth Hour. It is estimated that millions of people, businesses, governments and civic organisations will participate for this noble cause.

This exclusive programme by WWF intends to create awareness among the people of the climate change and its damaging effect.

The organizers are confident that this small step will create an everlasting impact, which sought to turn off the lights and electric appliances only for an hour. As electricity generated by coal and diesel are the major cause of green house gases which has elevated the damages to our climate through global warming.

Andy Ridley, the Executive Director “What makes Earth Hour a unique event is that it brings together governments, business, and householders who all play a part in switching of the lights. Working together, individual households, alongside the world’s most magnificent iconic landmarks, can make an impact in the fight against climate change.”

This year along with Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and Opera, The Sears Tower in Chicago, Toronto’s CN Tower and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge will be masked in darkness from 8pm on Saturday.

Last year during the one hour, Earth Hour event it was marked that the energy consumption fall by 10.2 percent in Sidney saving some 24.86 tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.

Reportedly WWF Australia opined that if the greenhouse gas reduction achieved during last year’s Earth Hour was sustained for a year, it would be the equivalent of taking 48,616 cars of the road for the same length of time.