Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Turn down the heat. Don't waste gas by idling your car. These and more tips to save energy and help the environment are second nature to most people by now. Yet many still wonder: I'm just one person. What can I do to fight global warming? Earth Hour, born in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, began with this very question.
Lights Out: It's Earth Hour!
Earth Hour began with the goal of "inspiring people to take action on climate change." Initiated by the World Wildlife Fund Australia and the Sydney Morning Herald, the first Earth Hour took place in Sydney, Australia on March 31, 2007. The goal: get as many people as possible to turn off their lights for an hour, and lower power consumption by 5%.
"On March 31, 2007, 2.2 million people and 2,100 businesses turned off their lights for one hour," the Earth Hour website proudly proclaims. This marked a reported decrease of 10.2% in Sydney's energy use in that hour, "…the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year."
The Movement Grew
Global warming is big news, and a project as big as Earth Hour quickly drew attention.
Australian celebrities such as Kate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman spoke out in support of Earth Hour. 60 global corporations participated, including McDonald's, Woolworths, HSBC, Canon, and Coca Cola. Landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge participated by turning their lights off.
A Global Event: Earth Hour 2008
In 2008, Earth Hour goes global. People worldwide are invited to participate by signing up on the Earth Hour website and encouraging more people to get involved.
People from anywhere in the world are encouraged to sign up, and specific activities and groups will be organized to "ring in" Earth Hour from 8:00-9:00 p.m. in most major cities on March 29 including:
- Adelaide
- Atlanta
- Bangkok
- Brisbane
- Canberra
- Chicago
- Christchurch
- Copenhagen
- Dublin
- Manila
- Melbourne
- Montreal
- Odense
- Ottawa
- Perth
- Phoenix
- San Francisco
- Suva
- Sydney
- Tel Aviv
- Toronto
- Vancouver
Check the website for time and details in your city.
Other Objectives
The Earth Hour organizers recognize that one hour annually is "a symbol" rather than an action that will end global warming. Their extended goals include educating the public about simple steps that can reduce energy consumption and climate change, and taking part in a year-long initiative to reduce Sydney's energy use.
At 8:00 p.m. on February 29, 2008, as this article goes to print, 57,207 people and 3,469 businesses have signed up on the website. Only the next month will show how big the second year of Earth Hour can be.
