This Saturday, 29 March, at 8.30 PM will see buildings and monuments across the globe go dark for one hour as part of ‘Earth Hour.’
Earth Hour is a grassroots campaign that gives people an opportunity to show world leaders that they support positive actions to address global warming.
Organisers are encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.
Last year more than 7000 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories took part in the campaign that began in Sydney Australia in 2007.
Iconic buildings around the world will go dark include the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, and the world brightest single location, the Strip in Las Vegas.
During the Green Minister for the Environment, John Gormley’s reign, many public buildings in Ireland, including the Customs House and the rock of Cashel, went dark.
The campaign in Ireland this year will rely in individuals to take part in their own homes and businesses.
Tony Lowes, one of the Directors of Friends of the Irish Environment who have supported Earth Hour since its inception, said that
‘The issue of global warming is one that world leaders are consistently failing to address. Earth Hour is one way for people to demonstrate that right across the world whatever your culture or your language, we all face the same future. It’s the power of the crowd.’
The President of the World Wildlife Fund, who organize Earth Hour worldwide, explained that ‘Earth Hour is an event that is designed to raise people’s consciousness, to show people that they can take positive steps to make a difference and to knit together the global community in taking action at the same time.’
Andy Ridley, the Australian originator of Earth Hour, emphasised that the event is symbolic. ‘Earth Hour is absolutely symbolic. Symbolism is an important stage of dealing with a major problem, so I don’t think we are ashamed to say that in any way”.
Visit the Earth Hour website for more details.
Information taken from Friends of the Irish Environment press release.
