Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour 2008

Earth Hour 2009 — Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Earth Hour, first created in 2007 by the World Wildlife Fund in Sydney, Australia. That year, 2.2 million homes and businesses turned off their lights for one hour to make a statement about energy conservation. If you think that’s a lot for its first year out of the gate, consider that 50 million people participated in 2008. And for 2009, organizers have set the bar even higher, aiming to get 1 billion people onboard worldwide. This year’s theme is “Vote Earth,” the premise being that by going dark for one hour at exactly 8:30 p.m. local time, regardless of where you live, you’ll be casting a global vote for the Earth.
World gears up to dim down for Earth Hour
Expect lights in about 2,800 cities in 83 countries to be dimmed Saturday for one hour beginning at 8:30 p.m. local time to mark Earth Hour. Organizers hope the event will send a strong signal to global policymakers who are negotiating on climate change legislation to succeed the Kyoto Treaty after it expires in 2012. USA TODAY (3/27)
Earth Hour 2009: Cities Around The World Turning Off The Lights
CHICAGO — From an Antarctic research base and the Great Pyramids of Egypt to the Empire State Building in New York and the Sears Tower in Chicago, illuminated patches of the globe went dark Saturday for Earth Hour, a campaign to highlight the threat of climate change.Time zone by time zone, nearly 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries joined the event sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund to dim nonessential lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Montreal city Hall switched its lights off for and hour starting
at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, in honour of Earth Day.
Photograph by: Tyrel Featherstone, The Gazette

Landmarks go dark around the world
More than just lights out, Montrealers brainstorm about environmental issues
Canadians douse lights to usher in Earth Hour 2009
More than 250 municipalities across Canada have pledged support, and almost 70 public events are planned.
A recent survey suggested 81 per cent of Canadians were expected to turn off their lights for the hour, World Wildlife Fund Canada said.
What’s the point of Earth Hour, anyway?
Should every person feel compelled to take part in this because it’s the right thing to do, morally speaking, or because it feels good to make a green statement? Is there a concrete way to measure the effectiveness of Earth Hour? Should it be limited to just lighting, or should we be trying to reduce all forms of energy during this time? And must those who refuse or are unable to take part be admonished for doing so?
Perhaps it just takes time to figure these things out. In the meantime, however, let’s hope Canadians switch off their lights at more logical times throughout the year – like, say when they leave the room – and do this regardless of whether they’re being watched.
Does lighting candles for Earth Hour defeat the purpose?
Saturday, March 28, is Earth Hour, an annual international event organized by WWF to raise awareness of climate change in which participants switch off all their lights for one hour, beginning at 8:30 p.m. local time.
And during Earth Hour, what will most participants use for illumination? Candles. The Earth Hour website is filled with announcements – from New Zealand to Hong Kong to Serbia – of restaurants hosting candlelit dinners and clubs holding candlelit acoustic concerts, along with lots of tips on what to do at home during the electricity-free hour, which includes taking a candlelit bath or playing board games by candlelight.
Depending on where you live and what wattage bulb you use, lighting a candle instead of a CFL could result in a net increase of CO2 emissions. In California, a CFL will emit about 5 grams per hour. In Kansas, it’s almost 13 grams.
Do New Bulbs Save Energy if They Don’t Work?
… a lot of people these days are finding the new compact fluorescent bulbs anything but simple. Consumers who are trying them say they sometimes fail to work, or wear out early. At best, people discover that using the bulbs requires learning a long list of dos and don’ts.