Boston buildings, landmarks to go dark tonight for Earth Hour
Saturday, March 28, 2009By Benjamin Paulin, Globe Correspondent
Boston landmarks such as the Hancock building, the Zakim Bridge, the Prudential Center, and the Citgo sign in Kemore Square will all go dark for an hour tonight as part of Earth Hour 2009.
Spearheaded by the World Wildlife Foundation, the Earth Hour 2009 campaign asks participants to shut off all nonessential lights and electronics from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. including overhead lights, outdoor lighting, computers, decorative lights, neon signs for advertising, and even desk lamps.
“By turning off the lights, we illuminate how local action can address the global challenge of climate change,” Mayor Thomas Menino said.
The mayor is hoping residents will also turn off their TVs and break out the board games. “Through the collective action of the community and property owners, we can demonstrate that easy steps can make a big difference in reducing energy use and improving our environment,” Menino said in a statement.
Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, are among the other US cities that will participate, cutting energy consumption and greenhouse gases at the same time. The event will also be observed in more than 80 other countries.
