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Energy awareness spread worldwide with Earth Hour
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| By: Amber Gieseke |
March 18, 2009 |
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Businesses, landmarks and homes will all be turning their lights off for an hour, Earth Hour, March 28 to spread awareness about global warming and let politicians know the public is expecting change in the way energy is made and used.
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Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, when citizens decided to spread awareness about global warming-2.2 million homes and businesses turned off their lights for an hour. That effort has turned into a worldwide event.
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In 2008, 50 million people switched off their lights, including famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif., Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House, in Australia, and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square, in New York City.
World Wildlife Fund is heading Earth Hour 2009. Their goal is 1 billion votes; each vote is a household or business that turns its lights out for the hour to support our planet. These votes will then be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Earth Hour will kick off March 28 by the initiating city, Sydney, by having every ferry in the harbor sound its horn at 8:30 p.m. Melbourne, Australia, will honor the event with a pedal-powered concert while people in Oslo, Norway, will try pedal-powered light bulbs.
Paris, France, has joined Earth Hour this year. The Eiffel Tower, Cathedral of Notre Dame, l'Elysée and other landmarks in the City of Lights will be dimmed or shut off from 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Currently, flagship cities in the United States are Atlanta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; Dallas, Texas; Las Vegas, Nev.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Miami, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; New York, N.Y.; San Francisco, Calif.; and Washington, D.C. Local cities set to turn their lights off are Minneapolis, Minn., and Milwaukee.
Earth Hour does not measure the amount of energy saved during the hour of no lights, but it is not just a symbolic event meant to show political leaders the public is serious about the planet.
That hour is only one aspect of Earth Hour. And while there is symbolism, Earth Hour claims aim for a larger and longer impact on peoples' lifestyles. It says it wants to encourage long-term actions that will reduce the carbon footprints on a continuing permanent basis.
Earthhour.org gives this example:
"One company that participated in Earth Hour 2008 made the following permanent changes: changed its lighting system so that lights were on for less time and it was easier for staff to switch off unused lights; signed up for green power for 25 percent of its electricity, which over each year will be the equivalent of taking 255 cars off the road; opened additional stairwells to reduce the number of short lift trips; installed bike racks and showers to make it easier for employees to cycle to work; encouraged its customers to receive communications-such as statements, marketing information or annual reports-electronically."
Earth Hour is not a black out; it is a lights-out event. Most businesses and government buildings turn the lights off at the end of the day Friday, the day before Earth Hour, so it is more of a fade-out than a black-out. "There is usually no instant dramatic difference, but rather a gradual power down starting the day prior," according to earthhour.org. "Many major icons and neon signs are switched off for the hour and they are extremely noticeable."
Reliance on electricity made by coal-fired power plants contributes to the greenhouse gas emissions that in turn contribute to the climate change. A high cost is associated with changes that reduce gas emissions, but Earth Hour feels, "The cost of inaction is much higher than the cost of acting now. If we continue to generate emissions at today's pace, we are putting at risk the natural systems that ultimately underpin our global economy."
By reducing energy usage, companies and households can reduce their power bill as well as their greenhouse gas emissions," they add. "On a bigger scale, governments around the world are investing money in infrastructure. By building green infrastructure such as solar power stations, we can create jobs that will not only protect the environment but also stimulate the economy. Now is actually the perfect time to invest in a low carbon economy."
For a city or town to be officially recognized as a participant in Earth Hour 2009, it must meet at least one of the following three criterion: have the official support of its governing authority; have confirmed participation of a significant landmark or icon; or have the support of an official Earth Hour ambassador.
Once someone with proper authority registers a city or town at earthhour.org, the city gets a pin on the Earth Hour map.
Earth Hour Executive Director Andy Ridley said, "Earth Hour is an opportunity for the global community to speak in one voice on the issue of climate change." He encourages everyone across the globe to participate: "Turn off your lights, celebrate the planet, enjoy the moment and cast your vote for Earth."
Like New Year's Eve, Earth Hour will cross the globe with the time zones. For more information, visit earthhour.org.
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©The Chetek Alert 2010
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