Earth Hour: An hour of difference
When the world switches off for Earth Hour between 8 to 9 pm on March 29, India may remain illuminated. No Indian city has officially joined the crusade against warming.
By INDIATIMES NEWS NETWORK |
NEW DELHI: When the world switches off for Earth Hour between 8 and 9 pm on March 29, India may remain illuminated. As of today no Indian city has officially joined the campaign to black out to show that India too is in the crusade to reduce global warming. This can, of course, change if Indians, collectively and individually, will otherwise.
The Times of India urges its readers, especially in India, to join in the campaign. It is a small starting step, but a one that may eventually make the difference between survival and extinction. (Individuals can sign up to participate on the Earth Hour site.)
The Earth Hour, which was started by World Wildlife Fund in Sydney in 2007, is a way to spread the message that if the world switches off for an hour daily, carbon emissions can be reduced by 5 per cent annually. Andy Ridley, executive director of Earth Hour, says through the campaign, cities and communities will demonstrate "their leadership and commitment to finding solutions for climate change".
Currently, the initiative will be observed in 35 nations and across 370 cities, towns and councils worldwide. So far, 240,000 people have signed their support of the event. Celebrities such as singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado and the band Fall Out Boy have pledged to turn out their lights, as have the Phoenix Suns and Chicago Cubs. "We're asking for the whole hour ... and for cities around the world it is whenever that time rolls around," World Wildlife Fund communications manager Adam Harper says.
An estimated 2.2 million Sydney residents took part in the first Earth Hour last year, and it shaved 10.2 per cent off the city's energy consumption for the hour. Other cities are expected to follow Sydney into the campaign this year, and they include Christchurch, Bangkok, Seoul, Dubai, Antarctica's Casey Base, Manila, Copenhagen, Rome, Dublin, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco and Mexico City.
"One of the goals of Earth Hour is to have participants commit to longer-term benefits, such as replacing older lights bulbs throughout their homes with highly efficient compact fluorescents, and to commit to reducing energy consumption daily," says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund.
Past Record
2008 would be the second year in succession when a clutch of cities in the world would be taking the initiative of using no electricty for an hour. Earth Hour was first started in Sydney when on March 31, 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney business establishments turned off their lights for an hour.
With Sydney landmarks such as Harbour Bridge and Opera House going into pitch darkness and unique events such as weddings being conducted in candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major cities have joined the Earth Hour campaign in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a worldwide movement.
The Times of India urges its readers, especially in India, to join in the campaign. It is a small starting step, but a one that may eventually make the difference between survival and extinction. (Individuals can sign up to participate on the Earth Hour site.)
The Earth Hour, which was started by World Wildlife Fund in Sydney in 2007, is a way to spread the message that if the world switches off for an hour daily, carbon emissions can be reduced by 5 per cent annually. Andy Ridley, executive director of Earth Hour, says through the campaign, cities and communities will demonstrate "their leadership and commitment to finding solutions for climate change".
Currently, the initiative will be observed in 35 nations and across 370 cities, towns and councils worldwide. So far, 240,000 people have signed their support of the event. Celebrities such as singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado and the band Fall Out Boy have pledged to turn out their lights, as have the Phoenix Suns and Chicago Cubs. "We're asking for the whole hour ... and for cities around the world it is whenever that time rolls around," World Wildlife Fund communications manager Adam Harper says.
An estimated 2.2 million Sydney residents took part in the first Earth Hour last year, and it shaved 10.2 per cent off the city's energy consumption for the hour. Other cities are expected to follow Sydney into the campaign this year, and they include Christchurch, Bangkok, Seoul, Dubai, Antarctica's Casey Base, Manila, Copenhagen, Rome, Dublin, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco and Mexico City.
"One of the goals of Earth Hour is to have participants commit to longer-term benefits, such as replacing older lights bulbs throughout their homes with highly efficient compact fluorescents, and to commit to reducing energy consumption daily," says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund.
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Past Record
2008 would be the second year in succession when a clutch of cities in the world would be taking the initiative of using no electricty for an hour. Earth Hour was first started in Sydney when on March 31, 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney business establishments turned off their lights for an hour.
With Sydney landmarks such as Harbour Bridge and Opera House going into pitch darkness and unique events such as weddings being conducted in candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major cities have joined the Earth Hour campaign in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a worldwide movement.
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