Earth Hour was created to actively involve each of us in the fight against climate change, and started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007. Earth Hour is now a worldwide event, encouraging everyone to turn off non-essential electric lights for an hour between 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of March.
In 2004, World Wide Fund for Nature (W.W.F.) Australia, met with advertising agency Leo Burnett Sydney to discuss ideas for engaging Australians on the issue of climate change. However, the idea for a large-scale off switch wasn’t coined until 2006, under the title ‘The Big Flick.’ In 2007, with the backing of Fairfax Media along with Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Earth Hour was held on March 31 in Sydney, Australia at 7:30 p.m., local time.
In 2008, Earth Hour 2008 was held internationally on March 29 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, and had 35 countries around the world participating, and over 400 cities in support. Landmarks around the world turned off their non-essential lighting for Earth Hour, and even Google’s homepage went dark on the day. Participating countries and cities experienced a vast reduction in megawatt-hours and carbon dioxide reduction.
Occasionally, in years when Holy Saturday falls on the last Saturday of March, or other cultural activities are observed, Earth Hour is moved a week earlier than its usual date. Ever since 2008, multiple nations and people have participated, growing this event into one of the world’s largest grassroots movements for the environment.
Millions of people around the world switch off their lights to show they care about the future of our planet, and joining Earth Hour’s switch off reminds us that even small actions can make a big difference.
According to nationaltoday.com; en.wikipedia.org. Source of photo: internet
