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Earth Hour 2009
03.05.2009 Mithun, Bert's Blog
With the flick of a switch, we can all help the world move toward a positive future. On Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30 p.m. local time, people the world over are being asked to turn off their lights.
If the planet follows the United States’ model of consumption, global energy demand is on a trajectory to reach 100 Terawatts of supply by 2050, according to MIT's Daniel Nocera. Today the world uses between 14 to 16 terawatts. Needless to say, we’ve got big challenges ahead, as most of that demand at the moment is based on the consumption of fossil fuels.
Here's a note from Felicity Irwin, the Policy Officer for the C4OCITIES CLIMATE LEADERSHIP GROUP:
VOTE EARTH - YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE
This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world's first global election between Earth and global warming. For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote. Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth; leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007 when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008, the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Coliseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.
In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Over 930 cities around the world have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing every day.
VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your city's lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.
Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Visit www.earthhour.org for more information.
So open up that bottle of wine, turn off the lights, and have a toast to a fossil-free future. Perhaps at the same time, sign up for 100% green electrical power that should be offered by your local utility. (In Seattle we sign up at http://www.seattle.gov/light/Green/greenPower/GreenUp.asp)
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