Earth Hour 2013

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour to raise awareness about the impact of power generation on global climate change. In 2008, the event grew into a global movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. In 2009, close to 1 billion people participated globally. Global landmarks such as the Empire State Building in NYC, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Coliseum, the Sydney Opera House, and the Coco Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness. The idea of Earth Hour was conceived by the World Wilflife Fund (WWF) as a way to raise awareness among the general public about climate change and to convey that , by working together, each of us can make a difference. Earth Hour’s non-partisan approach has captured the world’s imagination and become a global phenomenon. This year, on Saturday, March 23, 2013, at 8:30 p.m., millions of people around the world will come together to take a stand to protect our planet against climate change. They will do something quite simple – turn off their lights for just one hour and show that one person can make a difference and millions of people working together can change the world. WHY EARTH HOUR? To warm, cool, and light our homes, schools, and businesses we use energy. Energy also gets us where we need to go. To make energy we burn fossil fuel. Burning fuels adds gases to the air and changes the weather. It’s a big problem called climate change. EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY! EVERY HOUR IS EARTH HOUR! Earth Hour is not just about one hour; it’s about making long term changes to the way we use energy, both in the workplace and at home. SIX EASY WAYS YOU CAN DO YOUR PART! . Turn off lights, TV, and computer when you leave a room . Use energy efficient light bulbs and appliances . Travel green – walk, bike, or carpool when you can . Adjust your thermostat . Whenever possible, wash laundry in cold water and air-dry clothes; Only run the dishwasher when it’s full . Save and plant trees. Reduce, reuse, and recycle paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum Every individual, every business, and every community around the world is encouraged to switch off all non-essential lights for one hour to make a large collective statement of concern over global climate change and illustrate the need for solidarity in finding solutions. VOTE EARTH!