India will observe “Earth Hour” by switching off all lights and electrical appliances for an hour from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm.to save energy on 28th March. According to WWF, 50 lakh citizens of 377 cities in 74 nations are participating in the initiative this year. The campaign began two years ago when people in Sydney switched off lights for one hour in order to save energy and create awareness amongst people about global warming and conservation of the environment and natural resources.
It is a very good initiative to create awareness about global warming. We all should observe Earth Hour
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Earth Hour in India
Earth Hour: Thiruvananthapuram to switch off lights on March 28
Over a billion people in 74 countries are expected to participate in Earth Hour this year.
8.30 p.m. on March 28, people in Thiruvananthapuram will join people in cities across the world in voluntarily switching off lights for one hour as part of an international campaign to fight global warming.
Over a billion people in 74 countries are expected to participate in Earth Hour this year. For India, which is participating in the lights-out campaign for the first time, Earth Hour 2009 highlights the fact that climate change is no less a threat than terrorism.
Lights on buildings will be dimmed and pivotal landmarks and monuments throughout city centres will be plunged into darkness as thousands of people join hands to campaign for an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In India, the programme is promoted by WWF and supported by various institutes and corporates such as HSBC, Wipro, ITC Welcom group, HP, Taj group, HUDCO, HSBC, Google, Standard Chartered India and PVR Films. Bollywood star Aamir Khan is the brand ambassador for the campaign.
In Kerala, the event is being organised by the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), WWF, Energy Management Centre, Doordarsan, Kerala State Electricity Board and environmental agencies. Actor Suresh Gopi will be the honorary ambassador.
Highlighting the need for voluntary involvement in the campaign, CESS director M. Baba says it would go a long way in creating awareness of the need for a global mandate for action on climate change.
earthhour.org, the portal for the campaign, says that more than 681 cities in 76 countries have already signed up to turn their lights out on March 28.
Origin in SydneyEarth Hour is a movement initiated in Sydney in 2007 when over 2.2 million homes and business establishments switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008, the movement became a global one, with over 50 million people participating by voluntarily switching off their lights.
Earth Hour assumes greater importance as 2009 is a critical year for action on climate change, with the world’s leaders due to meet at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December to sign a new deal to supersede the Kyoto Protocol.
Earth Hour 2009
Switch Off your lights for Earth Hour 28 March 2009 (Saturday) 8.30PM to 9.30 PM (for 1 hour)
75 countries including India have committed to participate in WWF’s Earth Hour in 2009. The campaign, which hopes to reach out to more than one billion people in 1000 cities around the world, encourage individuals, businesses and governments to switch off lights for just one hour on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30pm to convey their support for action on climate change. Cities already committed to Earth Hour include Los Angeles, Las Vegas, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, Rome, Manila, Oslo, Cape Town, Warsaw, Lisbon, Singapore, Istanbul, Mexico City, Toronto, Dubai and Copenhagen.
2009 is a critical year in terms of the political decisions that will be made at global climate negotiations in December 2009. Earth Hour, aims to highlight the voice of the people of the world and represent a visual mandate for meaningful policy on climate change.
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