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80 Million Americans Vote For Action On Climate Change During World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour 2009

2009-07-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

As Congress Debates Clean Energy/Climate Legislation and World Governments Negotiate Global Climate Agreement, American People Issue Clear Mandate for Action

WASHINGTON, DC, May 20, 2009 – An estimated 80 million Americans reported turning off their lights for Earth Hour 2009 in an unprecedented global vote for action on climate change, World Wildlife Fund officials announced today. Globally, nearly one billion people are estimated to have participated in the March 28 event, in which more than 4,100 cities and iconic landmarks around the world went dark for one hour.

According to polling conducted by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates on behalf of WWF, nearly 30% of US adults surveyed reported taking part in Earth Hour, with 85% of those surveyed agreeing that climate change is an important global issue that affects all of us and must be addressed before it becomes an even bigger problem.

“The American people have sent a clear mandate to our nation’s decision-makers: they want action on climate change,” said WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts. “From coast-to-coast, more than 300 cities went dark as citizens, businesses, communities, and state governments, turned out the lights to take a stand on this defining issue of our time. As members of Congress debate a new clean energy jobs package that would dramatically reduce global warming pollution, they should take note of the clear call for action from their constituents.”

Of those surveyed, 80 percent said they support the negotiation of an international agreement to address climate change. WWF officials said the finding is particularly relevant because negotiations are currently underway on a global climate accord that is expected to be finalized in December in Copenhagen.

“With world governments in the throes of negotiations on a new global climate agreement, the results of the post-Earth Hour survey are particularly noteworthy,” said Dr. Richard H. Moss, WWF vice president for climate change. “By an overwhelming majority, the American people want the U.S. to reengage in the effort to secure a climate deal. Simply put, they want an agreement in Copenhagen.”

On Saturday, March 28^th at 8:30 p.m., people in more than 4,100 cities in 87 countries, on all seven continents turned off their lights in the first global vote for action on climate change. In the US, more than 300 cities turned off non-essential lighting including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Additionally, seven states officially took part: Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and New York.

Thousands of buildings and landmarks across the US participated including the Las Vegas Strip, the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings in New York City, the Space Needle in Seattle, Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple in Salt Lake City, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the National Cathedral in Washington DC. International landmarks going dark included the Great Pyramids of Giza, Parthenon in Athens, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London, Paris’ Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower, Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube, Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong, Sydney’s Opera House and Christ de Redeemer status in Rio de Janeiro.

Among other notable findings of the polling, the number of people who said they were very interested in taking additional action against climate change rose 6 percentage points after Earth Hour, while nearly 8 in 10 people said they planned to participate in Earth Hour 2010

Survey Methodology

WWF commissioned a survey which was conducted by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates. PSB conducted a quantitative benchmark and tracking study to determine pre-post evaluation of WWF’s 2009 Earth Hour. Two waves of 2009 Earth Hour research were conducted via web-based surveys of the general public including oversamples in 10 key media markets across the United States.

B Roll:

More information about Earth Hour can be found at www.EarthHourUS.org. Video footage and photographs from Earth Hour 2009 can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/mediacenter.php.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour

Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants sent a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

The Buzz Weekend Recap

2009-03-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

by Jon Brooks
March 29, 2009 09:43:52 PM

This weekend, people turn off their lights when they don't really feel like it, a sexy hamburger commercial has people clicking, and the World Figure Skating Championships draws a lot of online attention. Just a few of the most popular stories the past couple of days in Yahoo! Buzz ...
Lights out

OK everyone, what were you doing Saturday night from 8:30 to 9:30 pm? Well, the buzz is that if you were home you probably sat around with the lights low, doing your bit for Earth Hour 2009 (or at least thinking about doing it). People in 88 countries in every time zone turned off or lowered their lights for one hour Saturday, an event sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund as part of a campaign to highlight the threat from global warming. Clicks on articles related to the great dim-out were frequent all weekend, and searches across the Yahoo! network were also high. Interestingly enough, 60% of queries came from females, just 40% from males. Meaning ...what? Nope, not going there.

Landmarks Darken Around the Globe for Earth Hour

2009-03-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

By VOA News
29 March 2009

Time zone by time zone, nearly 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries marked Earth Hour Saturday, by dimming nonessential lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

From an Antarctic research station, to the Great Pyramids of Egypt and several buildings in Washington, including the Smithsonian Castle, famous structures went dark in a campaign to highlight the threat of climate change.

China participated for the fist time, cutting the lights at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium and the Water Cube.

In the Chilean capital of Santiago lights were turned off at a number of buildings, including the Presidential Palace where President Michelle Bachelet hosted a dinner by candlelight for U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden.

Earth Hour organizers say there is no uniform way to measure how much energy was saved worldwide.

The event was first organized in Sydney in 2007.

Obama plans climate change summit

2009-03-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

Mr Obama hopes to create a global consensus on greenhouse emissions
US President Barack Obama has invited figures from the world's 16 major economies to Washington for a meeting on climate change at the end of April.
The event will be the first meeting of what the White House styles "the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate".

It will focus on increasing the supply of clean energy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the White House said. It was announced as millions worldwide observed Earth Hour, turning off lights in a protest against climate change.

The Washington meeting is scheduled to take place on 27-28 April and the sessions will culminate in a July meeting in Italy. International agreement

The forum - which will bring together representatives of the 16 major economies and the UN secretary general - is designed to help broker a UN agreement on global warming, the White House said in a statement.

It aims to create dialogue between nations and "help generate the political leadership necessary to achieve a successful outcome at the UN climate change negotiations that will convene this December in Copenhagen", the statement said.

That pact that would take over from the Kyoto Protocol - an international agreement setting targets for industrialised countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.

Some 190 countries will be represented in the German city of Bonn on Sunday for talks on a new treaty on curbing greenhouse gases after 2012, when the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol expire.

The world's major economies include: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa the UK and the US.

Field Report for U.N. Climate Talks in Bonn, Germany

2009-03-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour truly managed to impress people here. Colleagues from other NGOs, UNFCCC officials and journalists from major agencies have congratulated us on the Earth Hour event. After the reception here last night to bring Earth Hour to the delegates negotiating the new global deal, we - today and together with local reps from the World Scout Movement - handed over a ballot box with the Earth Hour vote to Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. A couple of hours later we are now sitting in the UNFCCC opening plenary, and our Vote Earth branded ballot box is standing on the panel table next to Yvo de Boer. In his opening speech he just made a prominent reference to Earth Hour last night, calling on the many delegates in the room to hear the public call and take action!

CITY OF ANGELS JOINS MORE THAN 3,900 CITIES AROUND THE WORLD TO GO DARK FOR “EARTH HOUR L.A. 2009”

2009-03-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Will.I.Am, Baron Davis, and other A-Listers Join Hundreds of Millions of People Around the World in Raising Awareness For Climate Change

(LOS ANGELES) March 28, 2009 – Tonight “Earth Hour 2009” was celebrated on the West Coast in true Hollywood style as thousands of Angelino’s gathered at L.A. LIVE in a united call for action on climate change. As WWF and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa marshaled the countdown to lights-out, the city, residents and business owners all over the city turned out their lights in homes, iconic buildings, landmarks, and corporate office complexes, creating a citywide, indelible visual for the entire city.

To kick off the festivities, TV personality Leeza Gibbons and Broadway singer/songwriter Douglas Ladnier joined emcee Tony Okungbowa from "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to usher in this historic event. The much anticipated moment of darkness didn’t disappoint as WWF and Mayor Villaraigosa called the New Years Eve like countdown to lights out at 8:30pm sharp. Hundreds gathered in the L.A. Live plaza and held their LED candles high in the air to show their support and continue representing the message that started at the other side of the world almost 23 hours ago. Other performances followed throughout the evening including the L.A. Agape Choir, local urban artist Gina Rene, whose song “Be The Change” was chosen as the official anthem of Earth Hour L.A., and local student group "The Life Drum Core," who debuted a performance piece called “Funeral for Fossil Fuels,” created especially for Earth Hour L.A.

The much anticipated moment of darkness didn’t disappoint as the Mayor called the New Years Eve like countdown to the lights out plaza of L.A. Live. Thousands gathered in the plaza and held their LED candles high in the air to show their support and continue representing the message that started at the other side of the world almost 23 hours ago. A hush passed over the crowd as the Mayor flipped the switch. One by one small points of light were raised in honor of Earth Hour2009 and a loud cheer began to swell eventually rippling throughout the crowd.

Hollywood’s Elite Turned Out…
Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Alanis Morissette, Will.I.Am, Baron Davis, Janeane Garofalo, Big Kenny of Big & Rich, Los Angeles Kings, Tom Bergeron of "Dancing with the Stars," Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight," “The Insider,” "American Idol," "Bones," "Family Guy," "Good Day L.A.," FOX 11 News, FOX Sports West, "CSI," "The Insider," "The Price Is Right," all went dark to celebrate “Earth Hour L.A.” Many of the celebrities donated their time to create PSAs and shout-outs, which are now available on the Earth Hour L.A. Web site (http://www.EarthHourUS.org/losangeles).

Los Angeles Iconic Buildings Turned Out…
Andre Balazs Properties including Chateau Marmont, The Standard Hollywood, The Standard Downtown LA, BP’s Helios House, The Gibson Amphitheater, The Los Angeles Times, UCLA’s Royce Hall, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Wilshire Christian Church, Wilshire United Methodist Church, The Griffith Observatory, Getty Center, STAPLES Center, Chris Burden’s outdoor installation Urban Light at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), El Capitan Theatre, the Capitol Records Tower, Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel, the pylons at LAX, City Hall, Amoeba Records; I.O. West, Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, The Comedy Store, Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse, Hall of Records, and Department of Health Service Administration all turned out their lights for Earth Hour L.A.

Dine By Candlelight…
Participating hotels, restaurants and bars: Akasha - the first "all green" fine dining restaurant in LA, Tender Greens - Culver City, The Corner Hollywood, M Cafe – Melrose, Chaya - Venice, Beverly Hills, Downtown, Euphoria Loves Rawvolution, Mani's Bakery – Fairfax, and Gyenari - Culver City. At L.A. LIVE, all the restaurants participated: The Farm of Beverly Hills - L.A. LIVE, Boca at The Conga, ESPN Zone, Fleming's Prime Steak House and Wine Bar, New Zealand Natural, Rock N' Fish, Starbuck's Coffee, The Yard House, and Club Nokia.

After reaching Los Angeles city limits, Earth Hour 2009 had traveled through 25 time zones, with individuals, businesses and governments in more than 3,900 cities in 88 countries across the globe turning off non-essential lights in support.

Other dignitaries and special guests in attendance included WWF’s Curt Tamkin, Tim Leiweke, President/CEO of AEG and L.A. LIVE, and political figures Jan Perry and Cynthia Ruiz.

Through AEG's participation with Earth Hour L.A., 28 AEG properties around the world turned out and took action in their local time zones on March 28th. Additionally real estate company CB Richard Ellis turned off all non-essential lighting and equipment in 80 managed office buildings totaling nearly 20 million square feet in L.A.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org ) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.
# # #

Contacts:
Dan Forman, WWF, O): 202-495-9546 C): 202-758-7940, dan.forman@wwfus.org
Ron Roecker, Enfluence Group, C): 310.384.5641, ron@enfluencegroup.com
Kimberly Moran-Blad, Enfluence Group, C): 818.694.3103, kimberly@enfluencegroup.com

WORLD TURNS OUT FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

2009-03-28T20:34:00.000-07:00

With a Flick of a Switch, Hundreds of Millions in the U.S. and
Around World Cast Vote in Support of Action on Climate Change

WASHINGTON – March 29, 2009 – In a bold and unprecedented symbolic global statement, hundreds of millions of people around the world paused Saturday night for one hour, Earth Hour, and with their light switch as their ballot, cast their vote for action in the first global election on climate change.

Earth Hour was marked on all seven continents, and in more than 3,900 cities in 88 countries, according to World Wildlife Fund, the world’s largest multinational conservation organization, and global organizer of Earth Hour.

As Earth Hour was celebrated as it cascaded through the world’s time zones, individuals, villages, towns, major cities, organizations and corporations, and the world’s most recognizable landmarks, all united in a truly global effort.

From candlelit dinners at home to the darkening of the world famous Las Vegas Strip, Americans from coast to coast participated in Earth Hour by turning off lights wherever they were, sending a clear message they care about the future of the planet, and stand with the rest of the world in seeking to find solutions to the escalating climate crisis.

“The true power of Earth Hour can be seen in the tremendous opportunity for individuals, communities, businesses, and governments around the world to unite for a common purpose, against a common threat which affects us all,” said WWF President and CEO Carter S. Roberts. “As the world witnessed Saturday night, the simple action of turning off lights can inspire people around the world to take action, and to make a serious long-term commitment to living more sustainable lives. On behalf of WWF, I want to thank all participants for making Earth Hour a truly memorable hour for the entire planet.”

Some of the nation’s most famous skylines darkened on Saturday night, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Tucson and Washington, D.C. Pennsylvania, California, Arkansas, New Mexico and Michigan are participating officially, statewide.

Earth Hour activities involved many of America’s most iconic landmarks and attractions, including a broad array of people, places and things, including:

- Golden Gate Bridge
- St. Louis Gateway Arch
- Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple in Salt Lake City
- Empire State Building
- Chrysler Building
- Broadway Theater Marquees
- U.N. Headquarters
- Las Vegas Strip
- National Cathedral in D.C.
- Space Needle in Seattle
- Santa Monica Pier & Ferris Wheel
- Thomas Edison’s Laboratory in West Orange, NJ
- Hundreds of buildings and landmarks across the country

Additionally, around the country people celebrated Earth Hour in their own unique ways. In Washington, D.C. families organized a candle-light walk to observe the city in the dark. In Nashville and Los Angeles crowds gathered to watch their Mayors flip the switch and kick off Earth Hour in their cities. While in Chicago families gathered around flashlights for game night.

The event on March 28th was just one step in an ongoing effort to fight climate change. After Earth Hour, WWF hopes that conversations will continue on climate change and that people will take initiatives to make small changes in their lives to be more carbon efficient.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at http://www.EarthHourUS.org/.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour videos and images are available on a special FTP site:

Hostname: imgdropbox.interfacevideo.com
Username: ImageHighlights (not case sensitive)
password: mediaimages (all lowercase)

Or on the web, at:
http://imgdropbox.interfacevideo.com
Username ImageHighlights (not case sensitive)
Password mediaimages (all lowercase)

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour

Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

# # #

Hit that switch and let spotlight turn on issue of climate change

2009-03-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday, 28 March 2009

Stormont and the Belfast Wheel will be plunged into darkness at 8.30pm tonight as part of Earth Hour, a global event aimed at highlighting change. Environment Correspondent Linda McKee asks whether world leaders be paying attention.

The World Wide Fund for nature makes its point with its illumination of the Giant’s CausewayThe climate change sceptics come out of the woodwork every time Environment Minister Sammy Wilson makes one of his startling pronouncements on global warming — and there do seem to be a lot of them.

You only have to check out the comments on the Belfast Telegraph website every time the controversial minister stirs things up with his views that climate change is not a man-made problem to see that he does attract a lot of support.

And many of these supporters will insist that they are merely the vanguard of the silent majority that thinks tackling global warming is a huge waste of money and that politicians are merely following a climate change agenda set by a small minority because they wrongly fear they will be opposing the view of the majority.

It’s something that could be put to the test tonight when WWF embarks on its global Earth Hour event.

The international green group is hoping to persuade millions of people around the world to switch off their lights at 8.30pm for one hour to highlight climate change and persuade world leaders of the importance of taking action. So far, more than 1,000 cities worldwide have signed up to take part and a host of famous landmarks will be plunged into darkness this evening, including the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Nelson’s Column in London and the Belfast Wheel.

And it’s one of those events that has really caught the imagination. WWF’s head in Northern Ireland, Geoff Nuttall, says Earth Hour was launched three years ago in Australia, where it attracted some two million participants.

Last year the numbers swelled to 50 million around the globe and this year WWF is really going for broke — attempting to entice one billion people to join the cause.

The question is how much will an hour of candlelight reduce our carbon footprint? In the face of such an overwhelming threat, Earth Hour will inevitably be a token gesture, paling into insignificance in the face of the huge amount of emissions we produce by taking our summer holidays and heating our homes.

But WWF is hoping that if enough people make their feelings known, it will send a very clear message to the world leaders congregating in Copenhagen later this year that swift, firm action needs to be taken.

“The UN climate change summit is taking place in December and it’s going to be crunch time for making global decisions,” Mr Nuttall said.

“This is about raising awareness of the fact that we face such a big challenge and it affects everyone in the globe.”

WWF backs the scientific consensus that carbon emissions not only need to be cut by 80% by 2050, but they must peak and begin to reduce by 2020, if a global temperature of more than 2% is to be forestalled.

Reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,a coalition of 3,800 leading scientists from more than 50 countries, warn that temperatures of more than two degrees will affect hundreds of millions of people in every continent and Europe will not escape.

“Last year, BP estimated that the global supply of oil has only 41 years left at current rates of consumption — and consumption rates are increasing. This is a problem that has to be solved in any case,” said Mr Nuttall.

It’s the climate sceptics that are in the minority, he insists.

“Theirs is really a minority view within the Assembly as well — it was shown by the Earth Hour motion that the majority of the Assembly agree with us and there are even people with in the DUP who agree,” he says.

“This is a real problem and putting our head in the sand isn’t going to help.”

And the idea of going with the flow and looking forward to a utopia of Mediterranean sunshine is out of the question, said Mr Nuttall.

“The effect on Northern Ireland is not just a matter of getting warmer by a few degrees. It has consequences for changing weather patterns and the way we live and grow our food which has been developed over hundreds of years.

“Climate change will displace hundreds of millions of people because of flooding or drought and that is not going to have a positive effect on them, or on us.

“We will experience not just higher temperatures but a greater degree of heavy downpours which cause flooding and also more coastal flooding.

“We’ve already seen what flash flooding does in the last few years in Belfast — if you want more of that, that’s what we can expect.”

Toronto breaks its energy savings record for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

City makes breakthrough as it joins cities around the world in turning off lights for one hour

Mar 28, 2009 10:23 PM
DANIEL DALE
STAFF REPORTER

No, you are not witnessing a city-wide power failure. Toronto's Earth Hour has begun.

The global event, for which people worldwide have been asked to turn off their lights for one hour to demonstrate their concern about climate change, took place between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. The CN Tower, City Hall, and Honest Ed's are among the local landmarks that participated.

During 2008's Earth Hour, Toronto's total electricity use fell to 2,738 megawatts, 8.7 per cent lower than typical consumption for that hour on that date. The reduction equals a total power cut to 434,450 homes.

This year Toronto broke its Earth Hour record for energy savings. Close to 9:30 p.m., the number made a 15 per cent drop to 2,549 megawatts. At the stroke of 9:30 p.m. 2,545 megawatts was registered, way below last year's final mark and way below the average consumption of 3,000 megawatts.

After Earth Hour ended the load jumped by 30 megawatts. John Fletcher, grid operation supervisor at Toronto Hydro, said he was more than pleased with Toronto's performance, "As you can see the curve has started to climb as people start to power back up."

Launched in Sydney, Australia in 2007 to raise awareness of the perils of climate change, Earth Hour spread to more than 35 countries, including Canada, in 2008.

More than 80 countries and 2,800 cities are expected to participate today. Organizers said about a billion people would spend the hour in the dark, an exponential increase from an estimate of 50 million last year.

An agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, is supposed to be reached in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December, and environmentalists' sense of urgency has spurred interest in this year's Earth Hour. Last year, only 400 cities participated; Sydney held a solo event in 2007.

In the GTA, hotels welcomed guests by candlelight, community organizations planned flashlight-lit neighbourhood walks, and the Ontario Science Centre and University of Toronto astronomy students organized special star-observation sessions.

In Bonn, WWF activists held a candlelit cocktail party on the eve of a UN climate change meeting, the first in a series of talks leading up to Copenhagen. The goal is to get an ambitious deal to curb emissions of heat-trapping gases that scientists say are dangerously warming the planet.

"People want politicians to take action and solve the problem," said Kim Carstensen, director of the global climate initiative for WWF, speaking in a piano bar bathed by candlelight and lounge music.

Organizers initially worried enthusiasm this year would wane with the world focused on the global economic crisis, Earth Hour executive director Andy Ridley told the Associated Press. But he said it apparently had the opposite effect.

"Earth Hour has always been a positive campaign; it's always around street parties, not street protests, it's the idea of hope, not despair. And I think that's something that's been incredibly important this year because there is so much despair around," he said.

The Chatham Islands, a small chain about 800 km east of New Zealand, switched off its diesel generators to officially begin Earth Hour. Soon after, the lights of Auckland's Sky Tower, the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand, blinked off.

At Scott Base in Antarctica, New Zealand's 26-member winter team resorted to minimum safety lighting and switched off appliances and computers.

In Australia, people attended candlelit speed-dating events and gathered at outdoor concerts as the hour of darkness rolled through. Sydney's glittering harbour was bathed in shadows as lights dimmed on the steel arch of the city's iconic Harbour Bridge and the nearby Opera House.

And in Egypt, the Great Pyramids darkened, as did the Sphinx.

To the West, floodlights at the Acropolis in Athens were switched off and an outdoor concert was staged on an adjacent hill, which many Athenians approached in a candlelight procession. The Athens International Airport switched off the lights on one of its two runways.

In that other great ancient city, Rome, the Colosseum and St. Peter's Basilica were plunged into darkness.

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral were among 200 monuments and buildings that went dark. The Eiffel Tower, however, only extinguished its lights for five minutes for security reasons because visitors were on the tower, said WWF France spokesperson Pierre Chasseray.

"Above all in the current economic crisis, we should send a signal for climate protection," said Klaus Wowereit, the mayor of Berlin, one in a handful of German cities switching off lights at city halls and television towers for Earth Day for the first time.

Meanwhile, the Swiss city of Geneva switched off the lights on theatres, churches and monuments. Among them were the Reformation Wall, where floodlights normally illuminate 10-foot statues of John Calvin and other leaders of Protestantism. The city's motto engraved on either side of the statues is: "After darkness, light."

All of Spain's 52 provincial capitals turned off some lights an hour after sunset, silhouetting unlit landmarks such as the royal palace and parliament in Madrid, the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, and the Alhambra palace in Granada against darkening dusk skies.

A key 2010 football World Cup qualifier against Serbia posed a dilemma for Romanians. "Shall we watch the match or turn off the lights?," the 7plus daily asked in its main front-page headline.

The UN headquarters in New York and other facilities were dimming their lights to signal the need for global support for a new climate treaty.

UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon called Earth Hour "a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message: They want action on climate change.''

China participated for the first time, cutting the lights at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium and Water Cube, the most prominent 2008 Olympic venues.

In Bangkok, the prime minister switched off the lights on Khao San Road, a haven for budget travellers packed with bars and outdoor cafes.

Earth Hour organizers say there's no uniform way to measure how much energy is saved worldwide.

Earth Hour 2009 has garnered support from global corporations, nonprofit groups, schools, scientists and celebrities – including Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett and retired Cape Town Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

McDonald's Corp. planned to dim its arches at 500 locations around the U.S. Midwest. The Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont hotel chains and Coca-Cola Co. also planned to participate.

- With files from the Associated Press

Atlanta turns out the lights for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

By SHANE BLATT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, March 28, 2009

With the flip of a switch Saturday night, Atlanta joined thousands of cities worldwide in casting itself into darkness for 60 minutes in a gesture of environmental responsibility.

At precisely 8:30 p.m., Mayor Shirley Franklin threw a large mock light switch inside the World of Coca-Cola downtown to usher in the second annual Earth Hour in Atlanta.

The event’s purpose was to support global action on climate change. About 540 metro Atlanta buildings agreed to turn off their lights, including the Bank of America, the Fox Theatre and the Varsity.

“It’s important for us to demonstrate that an individual action can have an impact on Atlanta,” Franklin said.

Among those joining Franklin was Suzanne Apple, vice president of the World Wildlife Fund. She called Earth Hour “a profound event, and one we expect a billion people to participate in.”

Mark Pettit, Atlanta’s Earth Hour co-chairman, said the city’s participation was “a symbolic gesture, but a worldwide statement. Atlanta is playing a critical role leading 4,000 cities worldwide.”

Cities in 88 countries joined the event to dim nonessential lights. Even world icons participated, including the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis of Athens, and the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Canadians snuff out lights to usher in Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

Last Updated: Saturday, March 28, 2009 | 8:19 PM ET Comments263Recommend118
CBC News

Canadians eager to draw attention to climate change joined people from Beijing to Paris in turning off their lights on Saturday during the second annual Earth Hour.

About 250 people gathered in Halifax's Grand Parade to watch Mayor Peter Kelly flip off the town hall's lights at 8:30 p.m. AT.

The World Wildlife Fund is encouraging people to shut off non-essential lights — or at the very least dim them — from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.

Kelly admitted he was a little disappointed that nearby office buildings left their lights on.

"We had thought everybody would be part of this process, and unfortunately, they are not," he said, gesturing to a nearby office tower where many lights remained on.

However, Kelly said, when cities turn off the lights in municipal buildings it "engages the citizens" and helps people feel they're part of a change in energy use across the globe.

Events planned across country

More than 250 municipalities across Canada have pledged support, and almost 70 public events are planned, World Wildlife Fund Canada said.

A recent survey suggested 81 per cent of Canadians were expected to turn off their lights for the hour, the group said.

"Turning off our lights for an hour isn't going to solve climate change, but what it does do is show individuals that they can make a difference in the fight against global warming and sends a really strong message to world leaders that action is needed now," said Tara Wood of WWF Canada.

The conservation organization's offices in Sydney, Australia, introduced Earth Hour to raise awareness of climate change.

Nearly 4,000 municipalities in 88 countries were expected to take part, the WWF said. Last year, only 400 cities participated; Sydney held a solo event in 2007.

A number of key landmarks will fade to black, including Toronto's CN Tower, New York's Empire State Building, and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

Renowned landmarks go dark

Australia's famed Opera House dimmed Saturday as Sydney became the first major city to plunge itself into darkness.

China participated for the first time, cutting the lights at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium and Water Cube, the most prominent 2008 Olympic venues.

In Egypt, the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx were darkened.

In Greece, floodlights at the Acropolis in Athens were switched off and an outdoor concert was staged on an adjacent hill, which many Athenians approached in a candlelight procession.

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral were among 200 monuments and buildings that went dark. The Eiffel Tower, however, only extinguished its lights for five minutes for security reasons as visitors were on the tower, WWF France spokesman Pierre Chasseray said.

WWF France's Sixty Minutes for the Planet on Saturday March 28, 2009

2009-03-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

For Earth Hour, organized by Worldwide Wildlife Foundation France on Saturday March 28 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the city of Paris is coming together to show its support in the fight against climate change.
Events start at 7:45 p.m. at Trocadero square, the famous vantage point from which every visitor to Paris photographs the Eiffel Tower. Jim Leape, director of WWF international and Serge Orru will join French celebrities and everyday citizens in helping our planet.
The outdoor lighting which has led Paris to be known as the city of lights will go out on over 200 monuments. For one hour, Notre Dame will glow no more. The Louvre and its signature pyramid will disappear into the darkness. The fountains of the Place de la Concorde and the golden tipped obelisk will not glimmer. And for five minutes, the Eiffel Tower will go dark, to be relit at 9:00, but without the glittering white lights that have made so many tourists 'oooh' with ecstatic surprise.
On the same occasion, the associationPari Roller, which organizes weekly roller blading tours through nocturnal Paris, will host an exceptional tour in darkened Paris. One can perhaps question the common sense of such an outing, hundreds of roller bladers whipping through dark Parisian streets. But some people seem ready to risk a few scratches to save the planet. At 9:30, the survivors will return to Trocadero, marking the end of Earth Hour 2009.
WWF France also invites non-Parisians to film the moment the lights go out on their city's own monuments. With the help of French citizen journalists, the association will record France's desire to do something for the planet—something as simple as turning off the lights. By sending in a clip filmed from 8:29 to 8:31 p.m., you can contribute to the compilation video "Filmez Earth Hour" which will then be broadcast on YouTube and Dailymotion.
For more info: Visit www.earthhour.fr

Bipartisan Earth Hour Resolution Introduced in Congress

2009-03-28T14:11:00.000-07:00

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WASHINGTON - (Business Wire) U.S. Representatives Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) and John Barrow (D-Ga.) have introduced a congressional resolution that recognizes the power of Earth Hour to mobilize public opinion on the critical issue of climate change and affirms Congress’s support of the unprecedented global event.

By turning off their lights for one hour, people across America and around the world will send a powerful, visual message to world leaders that they want action on climate change. Earth Hour is also galvanizing the public to get more actively engaged in efforts to secure climate legislation in the U.S. and a new global climate treaty. More than 90,000 letters urging action on climate change have been sent by Earth Hour supporters to their elected representatives at the local, state and national levels.

“Earth Hour is an unprecedented global vote for the future of our planet,” said Dr. Richard H. Moss, vice president for climate change at World Wildlife Fund, which is organizing Earth Hour. “From Indiana to Indonesia, people around the world are getting engaged, making their voices heard and telling their leaders that they want action on climate change.

“I applaud Congresswoman Biggert and Congressman Barrow for recognizing the important role of Earth Hour in engaging the public and elevating the issue of climate change on the political agenda.”

“Earth Hour is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the need for clean, renewable energy alternatives,” said Biggert, a senior member of the House Science and Technology Committee. “Our environment and economic prosperity depend on our reducing our dependence on foreign energy sources. That's why it's so important to promote research and development on alternatives like hydrogen, geothermal, and clean coal technologies.”

Congressman Barrow added: “This is a great example of how a relatively easy act for one family, turning off the lights, multiplied by millions worldwide, can have a positive impact by raising awareness about climate change. Maybe it’ll also remind folks to turn off lights in their houses when they leave a room or go out for the day, which is good for the environment, and good for the electric bill!”

Nearly 300 U.S. cities will join more than 3,900 globally in turning out their lights tomorrow from 8:30 to 9:30 pm for Earth Hour. Major landmarks going dark include European Union headquarters in Brussels, United Nations headquarters in New York, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing, Great Pyramids of Giza, Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, National Cathedral in Washington, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and state capitol domes in Pennsylvania, Arkansas and New Mexico.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour

Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

WWF
Joe Pouliot, 202-495-4730
Mobile: 202-476-9919
joe.pouliot@wwfus.org

Lights dimmed on the Acropolis for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

Athens - Lights went out on the Acropolis for Earth Hour 2009, and hundreds of residents in the Athens neighborhood of Plaka walked around with lanterns beneath the ancient rock for an hour to highlight the threat from climate change. Environmental group WWF, which started the global event to turn out the lights at prominent landmarks, homes and businesses, is hoping 1 billion people will take part this year to draw attention to climate change.

Nearly 50,000 residents in 400 municipalities and 1,000 businesses were estimated to participate across Greece in the global event, organizers said. The presidential palace, the parliament building and a runway at Athens' International Airport also switched off their lights.

Aside from the ancient Acropolis, the lights were also dimmed at the temple of Posidon in Sounion as well as the Temple of Athena Lindia on the Dodecannese island of Rhodes.

Other Greek landmarks which turned off their lights for an hour included the Olympic Stadium, site of the 2004 Summer Games, as well as the Rio-Antirion bridge, the longest suspended bridge of its kind which connects the Peloponnese with mainland Greece.

Metro Manila, other RP areas plunge into darkness for 1 hour

2009-03-28T13:36:00.001-07:00

At around 8:30 last night, church bells in Manila began pealing. In Makati, the sirens of the city’s police cars and fire trucks joined the peal of church bells in signaling the start of Earth Hour, when all around the world, people who care for the environment switched off lights in a gesture of helping the Earth fight global warming and climate change.

All over Metro Manila, many households began shutting off lights.

In many cities and municipalities in the country, many residential communities and commercial establishments shut or dimmed lights.

Metro Manila is one of more than 2,800 cities and municipalities in 84 countries marking the observance of the second worldwide Earth Hour.

According to an Associated Press report, seven times more cities signed up for Earth Hour, which drew participation from 400 cities in 2008, after Sydney, Australia, held a solo event in 2007.

McDonald’s softened the yellow glow from some Golden Arches as part of the time zone-by-time plan to dim non-essential lights between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to highlight global climate change, the AP said.

Many of the world’s landmarks, from the Great Pyramids in Egypt to the Acropolis in Greece, the Eiffel Tower in France and Sear Towers in the US, usually lit up at night, went dark at the appointed hour.

In Makati, the observance of Earth Hour was led by the event’s ambassador, Mayor Jejomar Binay, World Wildlife Fund representatives, and leaders of various local and international environmental groups.

An hour and a half before the Earth Hour, they gathered at Tower One of the Exchange Plaza on Ayala Avenue to kick off the global event, which is now on its second year.

In his keynote speech, Binay reminded people that the “global crusade to save our environment” should not be seen as a once-a-year event but as a commitment to make this advocacy a part of their everyday lives.

“For the sake of our children, grandchildren, and all the future generations, we must continue to take collective and coordinated steps to mitigate climate change. As we always say here in Makati, every positive action we take, no matter how small, when taken together, advances the common good,” he said.

“Let us also keep in mind that...there is no better time to start than right now. Apathy and inaction would be tantamount to writing our own death sentence, along with that of all other living creatures, and the destruction of man-made and inanimate things on earth” he said. “My friends, what we will do tonight might seem a simple act. But this simple act done simultaneously in households and establishments in cities all over the nation and the world, when taken altogether, can make a tangible impact on global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

After the program, sirens of fire trucks and patrol cars echoed throughout the city while churches in Makati began pealing their bells at around 8:20 pm.

At the stroke of 8:30, street lights in 27 roads and around public buildings in Makati City were switched off. Even street lights within the posh Salcedo and Legaspi Villages were turned off.

In the Makati Central Business District, private establishments dimmed lights as part of their commitment to reduce electric consumption by 50 percent.

According to Department of Environmental Services (DES) chief Danilo Villas business establishments such as the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI), Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), Ayala Property Management Corp. (APMC), Ayala Malls, SM Makati, Makati Commercial Estates Association (MACEA), Chino Roces Estates Association (CREA), and Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI) were among those who participated in the lights-off event.

The Department of Education-Makati, Makati Liga ng mga Barangay, Makati Police, Makati Fire Department, Rotary Club of Makati, Makati Environment Foundation, Inc., Clean Cities Makati Coalition (CCMC), Association of Metro Manila Environment Officers (AMMEO), Council of Philippine Clean Cities Coalition (CPCCC), and USAID-Sustainable Energy Development Program (SEDP) also pledged their participation.

Also in the "lights off" list are monuments, pedestrian lights, and double-arm street lights along Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenue, and Paseo de Roxas.

The Makati Police, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the barangay Bantay Bayan were directed to maintain high visibility during the one hour lights-off period, which was duplicated in key cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The World Wide Fund (WWF) lauded Makati and its Sangguniang Panlungsod for passing City Resolution No. 2008-056 declaring the yearly observance of Earth Hour in the city.

China's landmarks go dark for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T13:09:00.001-07:00

Beijing, China: The iconic Bird's Nest and Water Cube were blanketed in darkness tonight for an hour as their lights were switched off to raise awareness about the need for action on climate change.

The landmark structures were part of a series of prominent buildings in the Olympic Park area that went dark from 8.30pm in a dramatic display of support for the global Earth Hour lights off initiative.

In the flagship Beijing event, the lights were first switched off at Ling Long Tower, followed by Pangu Plaza, the Olympic Park streets, the Bird's Nest, and the Water Cube.

Not to be outdone, Shanghai matched the capital’s commitment by switching off the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and district and municipal government buildings across the city. The Power Valley JinJiang International Hotel in Baoding and the Drum Tower in Nanjing likewise flicked the switch.

At a special Earth Hour event on the top floor of the Pangu Plaza’s hotel, partners and the media looked across the Olympic Green as some of China’s biggest icons went black. WWF China country representative Dermot O'Gorman said the statement for action on global warming was being made “loud and clear” in China.

“What’s most impressive about Earth Hour in China is how many ordinary people across the country have signed up to switch off their lights. This sends a powerful message to the world that people in China want action on climate change now,” he said.

“We are excited to see that the Earth Hour is supplementing the government’s efforts in raising environmental awareness and energy-saving know-how among the public, and find that the enthusiasm we’ve seen from ordinary people around China for Earth Hour has far exceeded our expectations.”

In addition to the darkening of landmark buildings, individuals, groups and businesses found many innovative ways to participate in the world’s first global election between Earth and climate change.

Restaurants played host to romantic candlelight suppers, lights were dimmed at bars for Earth Hour themed parties, while astronomy groups relished the rare opportunity to stargaze in a darkened sky.

WWF’s Earth Hour asks people, businesses, governments and communities to turn off their lights between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on March 28, to demonstrate their concern about global warming.

Earth Hour ambassador Li Bing Bing said switching off lights for one hour sent “a strong signal that we all care about the vital issue of global climate change”.

When the event started in Sydney in 2007, 2 million people switched off their light s. This year, more than 3,200 cities and towns from 84 countries are taking part in Earth Hour, including the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Baoding, Dalian, Shunde, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Harbin, Changchun and Changsha.

They will join in global solidarity with 67 national capitals and some of the world’s most prominent cites, including London, Paris, Hong Kong, Dubai, Cape Town and Mumbai.

Major global icons that will switch off range from ancient wonders like Egypt's Great Pyramids and the Acropolis in Athens, to modern marvels such as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and New York's Empire State Building.

Earth Hour’s open-source nature has been a driving force behind the campaign, achieving 1.1 million online social network friends. Earth Hour videos are being viewed online every 0.8 seconds.

Phillipines registers record participation

2009-03-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

The Philippines topped the Earth Hour global register for cities, towns and districts taking part in Asia, with more than 650 communities taking part.

The event started with the darkening of the Rizal Shrine, a major Manila landmark honouring Filipino national hero Dr. José Rizal. The massive Mall of Asia in Pasay City, the world’s fourth largest mall, also went dark in a ceremony that drew several hundred people.

The ceremony was broadcast live to homes around the country by Studio 23, one of the largest television networks in the Philippines.

The Philippines is one of the half dozen countries that share the Coral Triangle – a world centre of marine biodiversity - home to six of the seven marine turtle species, more than 3,000 species of fish, the heaviest bony fish of the deep (the 1,000 kg mola) and the coelacanth, a species thought until recently to have gone extinct with the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago.

But more than 18 per cent of the region's coral reefs were damaged or destroyed in a bleaching event linked to rising sea temperatures in 1998-99, underlining the immense risks climate change poses to the environment, food security and the economies of coastal and island countries and communities.

Boston buildings, landmarks to go dark tonight for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

By 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.

Earth Hour: Seattle joins hour of darkness designed to wake up the world

2009-03-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

By Michelle Ma

Seattle Times staff reporter

It's going to be a little darker than usual tonight.

Lights illuminating the Space Needle, downtown high-rises and neighborhood homes could largely go dark from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. to mark Earth Hour, an international campaign against global warming.

Organizers with the World Wildlife Fund expect thousands of cities around the world to participate by switching off the lights on major buildings and landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Eiffel Tower and Sydney Opera House.

In Washington state, Seattle, Mercer Island, Kirkland, Snoqualmie, Issaquah and several other cities are asking residents and businesses to turn off their lights for an hour.

Among the buildings and landmarks expected to go dark — or at least mostly dark — are the Washington Mutual Tower, Seattle Municipal Tower, the Space Needle and Pacific Science Center's arches.

"I think it's a symbolic thing," said Alex Fryer, a spokesman for Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. "It's just one more way of getting out a sense of urgency about climate change."

Earth Hour began three years ago in Sydney, Australia, when more than 2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for an hour. Last year it spread worldwide, and 50 million people participated. Organizers say they'd like to reach 1 billion people this year.

In downtown Seattle and Bellevue, most of the commercial buildings are expected to go dark, said John Chandler, chairman of the environmental-sustainability committee for the Building Owners and Managers Association of Seattle and King County. A number of building managers have circulated the word to tenants to turn lights off in their offices, he said.

Floors or blocks of rooms in large buildings often stay lit past usual business hours to let janitors clean hallways and offices, Chandler said. Most managers are seeking ways to save more energy, including shifting work hours for cleaning crews to earlier in the day, he said.

Many buildings downtown have automated lighting systems that can be programmed to turn off exterior and interior lights. For the minority of older buildings that still have manual lighting controls, tenants might choose not to come in on Saturday to turn off extra lights, Chandler said.

Washington Mutual Tower, prominent along Seattle's skyline, will shut off its outside tower lights and interior hallway lights tonight, and tenants are encouraged to turn off their office lights, said Pat Clark, vice president of property management at Wright Runstad & Company, a part owner and manager of the building.

The building manager plans to take energy-usage readings before and after the hour of darkness to see how much power was saved, Clark said.

Citywide, it would be hard to calculate how much energy is saved during Earth Hour, said Scott Thomsen, a spokesman for Seattle City Light. Other factors, such as the amount energy used for heating or cooling during that hour, could influence the readings and the utility wouldn't know which homes are participating, he said.

Some building managers said they expect energy savings in Seattle to be relatively small. Large office buildings already would be mostly dark on a Saturday night. But the event's organizers acknowledge this is foremost an awareness campaign to promote energy conservation as a way fight global warming.

Some hotels and restaurants are going an extra step to participate in Earth Hour. The Pan Pacific Seattle Hotel will invite guests to shut off or dim their room lights and gather in the candlelit lobby and bar. The hotel's hallways will be illuminated by battery-powered candles, and only safety and exit lights will stay on, said Sierra Trujillo, the hotel's executive assistant.

Glow-in-the-dark necklaces will be on hand.

"We're hoping to have a little fun with this," Trujillo said.

The Sierra Club's local chapter has organized a panel of speakers at REI's flagship store in Seattle just before Earth Hour. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., speakers will discuss light pollution and ways to reduce energy use.

Michelle Ma: 206-464-2303 or mma@seattletimes.com

Turn off the lights for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

by John Faherty - Mar. 28, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

You can do your part to help save the planet tonight at 8:30.

All you have to do is turn off the lights.

Earth Hour is a global effort for people, businesses and governments to unplug for one hour.

If you want to take part, you should also shut off TVs, radios, computers and anything else considered non-essential.

The idea is to use as little energy as possible for that hour.

The gesture, mostly symbolic, is meant to convey that everyone can help reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, which contribute to global warming.

The image is fairly striking.

A darkened skyline can help illustrate how much energy is typically in use.

Among the more dramatic places to go dark today will be in Egypt at the great Pyramids of Giza, in Athens at the Acropolis and even the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which is commonly referred to as the City of Lights.

Earth Hour is set up to happen from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. in each time zone.

Last year, Phoenix was considered a key city for Earth Hour because it was one of just four major cities to participate.

This year, not so much. City buildings will be mostly dark, but that's because it's a Saturday night.

"What happened last year was it cost us about $3,000 to turn off all the lights," said Scott Phelps, Mayor Phil Gordon's spokesman. "We have a budget issue."

Phelps said Phoenix is joining in on the event, but it will not go out of its way to go dark.

In Arizona, only Peoria and Pima County are officially listed as participating with the event organizers, the World Wildlife Fund.

It all started in March 2007 in Sydney, Australia, where people turned things off for one hour on a Saturday night.

Because of widespread cooperation among government agencies, business and individuals, energy usage in Sydney dropped by more than 10 percent, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Electrical power in Arizona comes from a combination of sources, mostly nuclear, coal and natural gas, so a reduction in power usage would reduce carbon emissions.

Earth Hour returns: Organizers hoping more people drawn to conservation effort

2009-03-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

Kids, businesses and club owners seek improvement on '08

By Robert Mitchum | Tribune reporter
March 28, 2009

When Jen Pontoriero's family participated in Earth Hour at their Woodridge home last year, her children's excitement was tempered by their neighborhood's lack of participation.

So Kayla, 6, and Luke, 5, decided to spread the word for this year's event, which asks people and businesses around the world to turn off their lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday. To raise awareness, the kids made a YouTube video—featuring literal tree-hugging—and passed out handwritten fliers reading "turn off your lights and make the earth happy."

"They really get a big kick out of it," Pontoriero said.

The organizers of this year's Earth Hour hope to see similar enthusiasm across Chicago and nearly 4,000 other cities around the world. After a successful debut in 2008, more than 200 buildings in downtown Chicago have pledged to turn off non-essential lights for the encore, including the Sears Tower, Wrigley Field and the Navy Pier Ferris wheel.

Restaurants and bars around town have organized special events surrounding the voluntary blackout, with candlelight dinners and drink specials such as glow-in-the-dark cocktails and "eco-tinis."

The activities emphasize the event's potential to show people how to conserve energy without sacrificing entertainment, said Darron Collins, managing director of the World Wildlife Fund, the organization that coordinates the event.

"I think what people like about Earth Hour is that it is fun and it tries to tap into people's creativity," Collins said.

The 2008 Earth Hour cut the Chicago area's electrical use by roughly 7 percent, said Rachel Gerds, a spokeswoman for Commonwealth Edison Co. Adjusted for weather, ComEd customers saved more than 800 megawatt hours, the equivalent of 150 acres of trees, Gerds said.

But not everyone is convinced that those savings are meaningful. A 2008 paper by David Solomon, a business graduate student at the University of Chicago, found that the original Earth Hour, celebrated in 2007 in Sydney only marginally affected energy use because of the relatively inconsequential contribution of household light.

"Earth Hour would almost certainly have had a larger effect on electricity use had it been billed as a … 'take a cold shower for the day' festival," Solomon wrote.

But those criticisms are misplaced, Collins said, pointing out that the average household spends 15 percent of its income on energy costs.

"Even if you don't believe that the climate is changing, or that humans have an impact on climate, efficiency is a good thing," Collins said. "It makes sense to reduce individual consumption."

Earth Hour 2009: Going dark for an hour tonight

2009-03-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

DENVER - From the Capitol building to the Qwest tower in Downtown Denver, several Colorado government offices and business will be in the dark for an hour Saturday night.
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From 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., residents across the world are encouraged to turn off any non-essential lights to raise awareness for climate change.

The campaign was created by the World Wildlife Fund and started in Sydney, Australia in 2007.

Across the world, famed landmarks in hundreds of cities will once again go dark for an hour.

Energy experts in Colorado say residents can do the same at home, by shutting off the TV or even going further and switching off an entire power strip.

"When you're not using your TV's or the whole entertainment center, or your whole computer system with the printers attached, which are all on a power strip, if you shut the power strip off, then you're saving that additional 5 to 10 percent over a lifetime," said Ravi Malhotra, executive director of iCast, the International Center for Appropriate & Sustainable Technology.

Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins are among dozens of cities participating in Colorado, along with many schools and restaurants.

For more information, visit www.earthhour.org.

Fort Collins Mayor Doug Hutchinson presented a Fort Collins “Earth Hour Day” proclamation to John Stokes, Director of the Natural Resources Department, on Tuesday at City Hall.

“I invite individuals, families and businesses in Fort Collins to recognize and support this tremendous local and global opportunity to participate in Earth Hour on March 28th at 8:30 pm, by turning out their lights and computers for an hour,” Hutchinson said. “Let’s continue our City’s tradition of innovation and environmental leadership in climate protection by using that hour as a contemplative catalyst to further reduce our carbon footprint and conserve energy.”

How are you planning to celebrate Earth Hour Saturday night?

2009-03-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Try turning off all your lights and party like it's 1879 just like Edison

Posted by Chris Gautz March 26, 2009

Earth Hour is back and it's coming up Saturday night. Were you aware?

Not many were last year, but for 2009, organizers have an ambitious goal of getting 1 billion people to turn off their lights on Saturday. There were 50 million who obliged in 2008.

The idea is to get people and businesses across the world to turn off their light switch or "vote earth" for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. If you don't, you are voting for global warming, the group behind it says.

From what I can tell you are just supposed to turn off your lights, but can you still watch TV? What if you have money riding on the Villanova/Pitt game? You wouldn't be able to catch the end of it.

So keep the TV on and turn off all the lights and party like it's 1879. That's the year Mr. Edison gave us the light bulb.

(If he was with us now, I think he would have wanted us to keep the TV on, plus I take him for Pitt fan.)

And that's why some UM students are celebrating Edison Hour Saturday night.

To honor the man who invented the light bulb, they want everyone to turn on every light they can during Earth Hour and "join together in a celebration of technology and industrialization."

So Saturday night is shaping up to be a battle between Edison and the Earth.

Who will you vote for?

Lights out Saturday night!

2009-03-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

Remember when you could see stars? Have your kids ever seen the Milky Way? For some reason we have, as a society, decided we need to keep the bulbs burning in our stores and offices when they're empty, and illuminate things that don't really need to be seen at night - like tall buildings. Too many of our outdoor lights waste energy lighting up dust in the air and the underside Skyglow/International Dark Sky Associationof the clouds.

That's what causes the skyglow captured in the photo at left, andInternational Dark Sky Association erases the stars. It is costing us billions in wasted energy, contributing to climate change and divorcing us from our heritage in the night sky (right).

For one hour beginning at 8:30 local time Saturday night, from Baltimore's City Hall to the Pyramids of Egypt, the lights will go out in a global expression of concern for our planet.

"Not only does it help reduce carbon emissions, but [it] encourages citizens to reflect on ways they can help save on energy costs and make Baltimore and their environment even greener," said Khalil Zaied, head of Baltimore's Bureau of General Services.

In addition to City Hall, the lights will go out for an hour downtown at the city's Abel Wolman Municipal Building, the MECU Building, the Charles Benton Building, the People's Court, the War Memorial Building and Fire Department Headquarters.

The global event is called Earth Hour, and it's being organized by the World Wildlife Fund. This will be the third year of its observance, and it continues to grow. This year, 2,400 cities in 82 countries are participating, up from 400 cities in 35 countries last year. In addition to Baltimore, U.S. cities taking part include Washington DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City and Nashville, Tenn.

Also going dark for an hour will be the Acropolis in Athens, Rockefeller Center and the Chrysler Building in New York, and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. In London, the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus will go out for an hour, and Marriott Hotels around the world will also switch off their outdoor lights.

Of course, everyone is invited to take part, switching off their porch lights and other unneeded illumination for an hour wherever they are. But one hour of darkness at a relative handful of locations won't be much more than a symbolic vote in favor of more sensible energy use and more rational illumination ordinances.

What the Dark Sky movement has been about for many years has been a campaign to educate the public and their policy makers about the needless waste of energy for illumination, which has the added effect of erasing the night sky by allowing unnecessary light to shine sideways, or up into the sky where it's not needed.

Dark sky advocates agree that some nighttime illumination is needed for safety and security. But they argue that too much of that lighting is badly designed, shining on things that don't need to be illuminated, instead of being concentrated on the things that do.

Wasted light/energyFor example, light from a streetlight that beams into your upstairs bedroom window is not helping anyone see the street (left). That light isGood lighting/International Dark Sky Association wasted and intrusive. Such lights should be aimed and shielded (right) so that the light goes only where it's needed. That would not only prevent light intrusion into your bedroom; the proper engineering of the light fixture would also require less energy, since less light would be needed to do the job.

In Baltimore County, the owners of Bengies Drive-In Theater argue that unnecessary light intrusion from a neighboring business is causing problems for their movie-going customers. Better lighting design could have avoided the problems and saved money and energy.

Likewise, a spotlight shining onto a billboard from below the sign sends much of its light into space, lighting up the bellies of migrating birds and washing out the night sky. Mount that light on the top of the billboard, and shine it down onto the ad only, and you have a cheaper, more sensible plan.

Many cities have enacted good, strong outdoor lighting ordinances, some with the help of the International Dark Sky Association. What's needed is for more local governments to do the same, and for all those who enforce these ordinances to do their jobs.

Posted by Frank Roylance on March 27, 2009

KC Council members: Turn off your lights for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Kansas City Council members are urging residents to turn off their lights between 8:30 and 9:30 Saturday night, as part of an international event called “Earth Hour.”

The effort is part of a campaign to show how everyone can make a difference in preventing climate change.

Even the roof lights at City Hall will be turned off for an hour Saturday night.

Council members Cathy Jolly, Cindy Circo and Jan Marcason are getting the word out, along with Jill DeWitt of the Missouri Audubon Society and Melissa Hope of the Sierra Club.

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour.

Last year, the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights.

This year, the goal is to have 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote.

Lynn Horsley, lhorsley@kcstar.com.

New York City goes dark for 1 hour to celebrate Earth Hour

2009-03-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

BY Kathleen Lucadamo
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Saturday, March 28th 2009

New York will be in the dark Saturday night as part of a global initiative to shut off lights to call attention to conservation.

The Empire State Building, City Hall, the United Nations, most Broadway theaters and other Big Apple landmarks will turn off their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for the second worldwide Earth Hour.

"It's a good reminder to everybody that we are in charge of our destiny," said Mayor Bloomberg.

New York will join nearly 3,000 cities in 82 countries to honor the hour. The Las Vegas strip will go dim, the Eiffel Tower won't shine and the Golden Gate Bridge will go black.

"By turning out the lights, the people of New York City will be casting a vote in support of the future of the Earth," said Carter Roberts, chief executive of the World Wildlife Fund.

Little Rock, Arkansas Gears up tp turn off lights

2009-03-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

Event aiming to turn spotlight on climate by turning off lights

Organizations and residents across the state are flipping the switch tonight, turning their lights and other electrical gadgets off for an hour to raise awareness about climate change as part of the 2009 global Earth Hour effort.

Nearly 200 U.S. cities are expected to participate, with the lights going out at hundreds of McDonald's restaurants across the Midwest and at popular tourist attractions, such as Broadway marquees in New York and the spotlights that shine on Chicago's Sears Tower's twin spires. Cities in 84 countries are expected to participate at 8:30 p.m., their local times, The Associated Press reported.

"Obviously turning the lights off for an hour is more about making a statement than it is about having any real effect on saving energy," said Clinton resident Don Richardson, an Arkansas representative of Pew Environment Group and director of Arkansas Climate Awareness Project. He helped coordinate Earth Hour recognition in Arkansas.

Little Rock's downtown will be a little darker than usual, with exterior lights going dark at the Capitol, the Governor's Mansion, Heifer International and various Clinton Presidential Center buildings. Lights at the Clinton presidential library, however, will stay on because of a previously scheduled event.

World Wildlife Fund hopes 1 billion people will turn off their lights tonight as part of a "global vote" ahead of the Dec. 7 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, where world leaders will discuss and determine policies regarding global warming, which many scientists link to human activity.

"This is an important year and we need to raise awareness about this so it's on people's minds that this country really needs to step up and take some leadership on the global warming issue," Richardson said of the United States.

Along with movie stars and businesses, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has promoted Earth Hour participation in a video posted this month on the event's YouTube channel, according to The Associated Press.

Several Web sites have popped up urging people to keep their lights on as a counterprotest to Earth Hour.

In Little Rock, lights, copy machines and computers will be turned off at the Clinton School of Public Service and at the Clinton Museum Store on President Clinton Avenue in the River Market District.

"This is a great thing to participate in, and we hope we can help do our part to encourage energy conservation," said Clinton Foundation spokesman Jordan Johnson.

Turning out the interior lights at Heifer's headquarters won't be much of a hassle because the building uses motion detectors to turn off lights when no one is in a room, spokesman Dale Ingram said Friday.

"In a way, Heifer is already recognizing Earth Hour around the clock, every hour of every day of every year, and we appreciate more attention being raised to the issue of energy efficiency," Ingram said.

Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, with an estimated 2.2 million homes and businesses turning out their lights for an hour. Last year, the environmental advocacy effort grew to 50 million and included landmarks such as San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, the Coca-Cola billboard in New York City's Times Square and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

NEW YORK JOINS EARTH HOUR

2009-03-28T10:32:00.001-07:00

Governor Paterson Directs Exterior Lighting at State Capitol to be Temporarily Extinguished

Governor David A. Paterson today announced that tonight, New York will join millions around the world by collectively celebrating Earth Hour. In Albany, state officials will turn off the external lighting that illuminates the State Capitol from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Commissioner John Egan of the New York State Office of General Services (OGS) said: “Governor Paterson’s sustainability policies clearly demonstrate that New York’s actions can have a global impact. Every day we seek to minimize environmental impact by improving upon our operational efficiencies or by finding new ways to incorporate green technologies and products into our service-based mission.”

Commissioner Pete Grannis of the Department of Environmental Conservation said: “By taking steps – big and small -- to reduce the amount of energy use, we can lay the groundwork for progress in the fight against climate change. We may also inspire individuals and businesses to take practical action to reduce their own carbon footprint.”

Governor Paterson has developed a broad portfolio of tactics to fight climate change -- the most important environmental issue of our time – and create a clean energy economy. These range from participating in the groundbreaking multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to funding alternative fuel research to pushing for infrastructure upgrades that will protect New York’s lakes, rivers and streams to establishing the “45 by 15” goal for the state to meet 45 percent of its electricity needs through improved energy efficiency and renewable sources by the year 2015.

Last year, the Governor directed state agencies to take aggressive steps to cut operational costs to help combat New York’s growing budget deficit. OGS, the state agency responsible for managing the statewide portfolio of more than 50-buildings, immediately implemented a plan to reduce energy consumption that included minimizing the use of lighting at the Empire State Plaza, adjusting building temperatures, and installing additional energy-efficient devices and controls at state properties. Through the first 11 months of the 2008-09 fiscal year, New York State’s energy consumption was reduced by 8.02 percent, compared to the same period in 2007-08.

Earth Hour is an event coordinated by the World Wildlife Fund http://www.earthhourus.org/.
In 2008, more than 50 million people in 370 cities around the world took part as the lights dimmed at Sydney’s Opera House, Rome’s Coliseum, the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Antarctica to Pyramids — lights dim for Earth Hour

2009-03-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

SYDNEY – The floodlit cream shells of the famed Opera House dimmed Saturday as Sydney became the world's first major city to plunge itself into darkness for the second worldwide Earth Hour, a global campaign to highlight the threat of climate change.
From the Great Pyramids to the Acropolis, the London Eye to the Las Vegas strip, nearly 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries planned to join in the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored event, a time zone-by-time zone plan to dim nonessential lights between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Involvement in the effort has exploded since last year's Earth Hour, which drew participation from 400 cities after Sydney held a solo event in 2007. Interest has spiked ahead of planned negotiations on a new global warming treaty in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December. The last global accord, the Kyoto Protocol, is set to expire in 2012.
Despite the boost in interest from the Copenhagen negotiations, organizers initially worried enthusiasm for this year's event would wane with the world's attention focused largely on the global economic crisis, Earth Hour executive director Andy Ridley told The Associated Press. Strangely enough, he said, it's seemed to have the opposite effect.
"Earth Hour has always been a positive campaign; it's always around street parties, not street protests, it's the idea of hope not despair. And I think that's something that's been incredibly important this year because there is so much despair around," he said. "On the other side of it, there's savings in cutting your power usage and being more sustainable and more efficient."
In Australia, people attended candlelit speed-dating events and gathered at outdoor concerts as the hour of darkness rolled through the country. Sydney's glittering harbor was bathed in shadows as lights dimmed on the steel arch of the city's iconic Harbour Bridge and the nearby Opera House.
Earlier Saturday, the Chatham Islands, a group of small islands about 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of New Zealand, officially kicked off Earth Hour by switching off its diesel generators. Soon after, the lights of Auckland's Sky Tower, the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand, blinked off.
Forty-four New Zealand towns and cities participated in the event, and more than 60,000 people showed up for an Earth Hour-themed hot air ballooning festival in the city of Hamilton.
At Scott Base in Antarctica, New Zealand's 26-member winter team resorted to minimum safety lighting and switched off appliances and computers.
The U.N.'s headquarters in New York and other of its facilities were dimming their lights for an hour to signal the need for global support for a new climate treaty in Copenhagen in December. The first round of climate negotiations this year begins Sunday in Bonn, Germany.
U.N. Secretary Ban Ki-moon called Earth Hour "a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message: They want action on climate change."
"We are on a dangerous path. Our planet is warming. We must change our ways. ... We need sustainable energy for a more climate-friendly, prosperous world," Ban said.
China was participating in the campaign for the first time, with Beijing turning off the lights at its Bird's Nest Stadium and Water Cube, the most prominent venues for the Olympics, according to WWF. Shanghai was also cutting lights in all government buildings and other structures on its waterfront, while Hong Kong, Baoding, Changchun, Dalian, Nanjing and Guangzhou were also participating, WWF said.
However, the official WWF Earth Hour Web site appeared to be blocked in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin on Saturday afternoon. While China rarely gives reasons for blocking Web sites, the campaign coincided with the 50th anniversary of the suppression of an uprising in Tibet that forced the Dalai Lama to go into exile.
In Hong Kong, the government planned to suspend its nightly "Symphony of Lights," which beams lasers and lights into the sky from 44 buildings on the city's famed Victoria Harbor. Landmarks along the harbor also were to switch off nonessential lights for an hour.
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva pressed a button that switched off the lights on Khao San Road, a famous haven for budget travelers in Bangkok that is packed with bars and outdoor cafes. City officials then hosted an hour-long outdoor seminar on global warming that offered ideas for reducing energy consumption.
The lights also went out at the Grand Palace and other riverside monuments, and on several of the Thai capital's busiest boulevards.
On Bangkok's bustling Silom Road several street vendors hawking pirated DVDs, T-shirts and fake watches chipped in by turning off the bulbs that light their stalls.
Earth Hour organizers say there's no uniform way to measure how much energy is saved worldwide.
Earth Hour 2009 has garnered support from global corporations, nonprofit groups, schools, scientists and celebrities — including Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett and retired Cape Town Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
McDonald's Corp. planned to dim its arches at 500 locations around the Midwest in the United States. The Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont hotel chains and Coca-Cola Co. also planned to participate.
___

Hong Kong goes dim one hour for better environment

2009-03-28T09:45:00.001-07:00

HONG KONG (Xinhua) -- To combat climate change, more than 1,800 buildings in Hong Kong joined the Earth Hour 2009 on Saturday night by switching off the lights for one hour.

Some 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries and regions participated in the event organized by the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) which aimed to arouse people's awareness about environmental issues.

In Hong Kong, landmarks including International Finance Center and Tsing Ma Bridge, were joining some 1,800 other buildings, 600 companies and organizations, over 160 schools and all universities, as well as thousands of people across the city to call for an action for climate change.

The city began to go into darkness at 8:30 p.m. when neon signs and lights of buildings across Hong Kong started to go out. Tourist attraction Symphony of Lights in the Victoria Harbor was suspended to show support.

Businesses at commercial areas of the city dimmed their lights, while bars and restaurants in famous tourist spot Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai were lit up with candles to spread the message.

Chairman of WWF Hong Kong Trevor Yang said on Saturday at the launching ceremony that such simple action would have reverberations into the future.

He said that WWF would make this global voice to Copenhagen in December, where leaders will be coming together to make decisions about green gas emissions and climate change.

Apart from Hong Kong, which is famous for its neon light night scenes, Sydney's Opera House, San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and London's City Hall were also among some of the world's famous landmarks that went dark in the event.

In 2008, 50 million people from 370 cities on seven continents joined the Earth Hour.

"Earth Hour": lights-off for brighter future BEIJING

2009-03-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, -- More than a century after American inventor Thomas Edison led the world out of darkness with the first ever man-made electric lamp, people all over the world once again turned their lights off for an hour to help enhance public awareness of environment and give the world a brighter future.

The event, known as the "Earth Hour," began in Sydney in 2007 when the city turned off its lights to highlight the world's environmental problem. In 2008, the event turned into a global campaign that has drawn the participation of hundreds of towns and cities worldwide.

This year, close to 1 billion people from over 2,000 towns and cities in 84 countries are expected to join the lights-off event on 8:30 pm local time on Saturday. When the 3-year-old event "darkens" more places in the world, it helps bring a brighter future to the planet Earth. FULL STORY>>

Sydney first major city to mark Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press Writer - SYDNEY – The floodlit cream shells of the famed Opera House dimmed Saturday as Sydney became the world's first major city to plunge itself into darkness for the second worldwide Earth Hour, a global campaign to highlight the threat of climate change.

From the Great Pyramids to the Acropolis, the London Eye to the Las Vegas strip, nearly 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries planned to join in the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored event, a time zone-by-time zone plan to dim nonessential lights between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Involvement in the effort has exploded since last year's Earth Hour, which drew participation from 400 cities after Sydney held a solo event in 2007. Interest has spiked ahead of planned negotiations on a new global warming treaty in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December. The last global accord, the Kyoto Protocol, is set to expire in 2012. FULL STORY>>

SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS TO SWITCH OFF LIGHTS FOR WORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR

2009-03-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - March 26, 2009 - In celebration of World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour at 8:30 PM on March 28th, the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has committed to turning off its lights in support of Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

The Salt Lake Temple joins other iconic landmarks around the world such as the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Brooklyn Bridge and Broadway Theater marquees in New York City, the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong.

“Prudent stewardship and wise use of resources are principles that Church leaders have emphasized throughout the history of the Church,” says Scott Trotter, LDS Church Spokesman. “The Church encourages its members to join with their fellow citizens in supporting worthy programs that will make their communities better places to live and raise their families.”

To date, more than 2,700 cities and towns located in 83 countries have committed to officially going dark for one hour as individuals, businesses, government buildings, schools and major landmarks turn off non-essential lighting in what will be the largest climate event in history. More than 210 cities have signed on to participate in the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. A full list of cities can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org.

WWF officials stress the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php. In addition, the Earth Hour PR team can help facilitate interviews with major participants, including government officials, well-known personalities, and WWF officials discussing their involvement in the lead up to this historic evening.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

# # #

AMERICA READY TO TURN OUT AND TAKE ACTION FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

2009-03-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

From Coast to Coast, Hundreds of Major U.S. Cities, Iconic Landmarks and Millions of Citizens to Vote for Change on Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 p.m.

WASHINGTON – March 27, 2009 – As Earth Hour cascades through time zones around the world on Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 p.m., millions of Americans across the country will be showing their support for action on climate change by voting with their light switch on this historic night.

From intimate candlelit dinners to the darkening of the Las Vegas Strip, Americans from all walks of life will be turning out for Earth Hour, and taking action by making a global statement of concern about climate change and a renewed commitment to finding solutions to the escalating climate crisis.

Organized by World Wildlife Fund, the world’s largest multinational conservation organization, participation in Earth Hour continues to grow dramatically in the U.S. by the hour as iconic landmarks, major cities, corporations and organizations of all sizes, schools, towns and villages unite in this global effort.

Earth Hour organizers have commitments from nearly 300 U.S. cities and towns, with some of the nation’s most famous skylines darkening on Saturday night, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Tucson and Washington, D.C. In each of these cities, individuals, businesses and organizations are participating in activities to engage, enlighten and spread the message that together, each one of us can make a difference on this global issue. Flagship states include Arkansas, California, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

Earth Hour activities involve many of America’s most iconic landmarks and attractions, including a broad array of people, places and things, including the following highlights:

Atlanta
On the night the lights go out in Georgia, some of Atlanta’s most well-known landmarks and buildings, such as the Bank of America Plaza, Philips Arena and The Varsity restaurant will join more than 500 buildings throughout the metro area as they darken against the southern sky.

Chicago
As Earth Hour blows through the Windy City, Chicago’s soaring skyscrapers, including the Sears Tower and John Hancock Center, will join popular attractions such as Navy Pier and Wrigley Field for an hour of darkness in America’s heartland.

Las Vegas
What happens in Vegas, normally stays there. But when the infamous Strip goes dark for a full hour for the first time in history, it’s worth talking about. City visitors and residents will be in luck as the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, Stratosphere, Fremont Street Experience (largest digital screen in the world) and Luxor’s shining beam turn out for an extraordinary, historic event.

Los Angeles
As one of the last cities to celebrate Earth Hour, the City of Angels knows how to create a big ending, with landmarks from the Santa Monica Pier to Hollywood’s biggest studios helping pull down the curtain on the largest climate change event in history. They will celebrate together at an event at L.A. Live with celebrities, performers and politicians joining to cast their votes in unison.

Miami
Local officials, businesses and citizens throughout the area will be celebrating Earth Hour in style as Miami’s downtown core powers down for its inaugural Earth Hour.
Nashville
The neon lights of Music City’s famous honkytonks will join a chorus of support turning out from the local country music scene, including singer Jo Dee Messina, who will be performing a free acoustic concert under a star-lit sky.

New York
From the top of the Empire State Building to the darkened marquees of Broadway’s theaters, the Big Apple will be participating in Earth Hour in a big way. New Yorkers will see Coca-Cola’s, Reuters and other digital billboards in Times Square go dark, as well as the U.N. headquarters building, the Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, the Brooklyn Bridge and dozens more buildings throughout the famously-busy city as it pauses for one hour to reflect on ways to increase sustainability practices.

San Francisco
As the lights go out on the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower and the TransAmerica Building, the City by the Bay will enjoy an hour without power as a returning Earth Hour flagship city.

Washington, D.C.
The nation’s capitol will set a shining example by turning off some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks in the District, such as the National Cathedral, World Bank, Chinatown Arch and Smithsonian Castle.

Joining these cities will be sites of significance throughout the country, including: Thomas Edison’s laboratory in West Orange, NJ (birthplace of the incandescent light bulb), the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and the Space Needle in Seattle.

Many TV show are symbolically joining in Earth Hour as “American Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Family Guy,” “CSI,” “Bones,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “Access Hollywood,” “The Price is Right,” and others dim the lights on their set to cast their vote for action on climate change.

Americans are also actively chatting up their involvement with Earth Hour with online communities numbering in the tens of thousands, ushering in a new era of eco-awareness on social networking sites such as Flickr, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Experience Project and YouTube.

Earth Hour’s open-source nature has been the driving force behind the campaign:
- Earth Hour has 1.1 million online social network friends
- Earth Hour videos are being viewed online every 0.8 seconds
- Earth Hour is regularly trending amongst the most tweeted topics on Twitter
- The term ‘Earth Hour’ has appeared online close to 1 million times in the past twenty-four hours

During the largest climate change event in history, the U.S. will be joined by more than 84 countries and over 3,900 cities, towns and villages around the world, with widespread participation in 66 national capitals and 9 of the10 most populated metropolises on the planet have confirmed their participation in this year’s event, with some of the world’s most prominent cities outside the U.S., including:

- Athens
- Bangkok
- Barcelona
- Beijing
- Berlin
- Buenos Aires
- Cairo
- Cape Town
- Copenhagen
- Dubai
- Hong Kong
- Istanbul
- Kuala Lumpur
- London
- Manila
- Mexico City
- Moscow
- Mumbai
- Nairobi
- Paris
- Rio de Janeiro
- Rome
- Singapore
- Toronto

The Great Pyramids of Giza, the world’s greatest symbol of the power of collective action, heads up a list of more than 800 landmarks around the world switching off their lights for Earth Hour, including:

- Acropolis in Athens
- Arc de Triomphe in Paris
- Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing
- Burj Dubai (world’s tallest unfinished building)
- CN Tower in Toronto
- Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro
- Colosseum in Rome
- Dome of St. Peter in Rome
- Edinburgh Castle
- Eiffel Tower in Paris
- Gaudi Building in Barcelona
- The London Eye
- The Merlion in Singapore
- Millennium Stadium in Cardiff
- Niagara Falls in Canada
- Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong
- Tapei 101 (world’s tallest building)
- Tower Bridge in London
- Table Mountain in Cape Town
- Wembley Stadium Arch in London

The event on March 28th is just one step in an ongoing effort to fight climate change. After the lights go out around the world on this evening, WWF hopes that conversations will continue on climate change and that people will take initiatives to make small changes in their lives to be more carbon efficient.

WWF encourages simple but effective energy-saving measures such as installing compact fluorescent light bulbs, which are more efficient and last much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, choosing energy efficient appliances, making sure their car tires are properly inflated and unplugging electronics when they are not in use.

WWF officials stress the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at http://www.EarthHourUS.org/.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php. Participant interviews available upon request.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour

Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

# # #

BIPARTISAN EARTH HOUR RESOLUTION INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

2009-03-27T13:11:00.001-07:00

Earth Hour Participants Send More than 90,000 Letters to Elected Leaders Urging Action on Climate Change

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2009 – U.S. Representatives Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) and John Barrow (D-Ga.) have introduced a congressional resolution that recognizes the power of Earth Hour to mobilize public opinion on the critical issue of climate change and affirms Congress’s support of the unprecedented global event.

By turning off their lights for one hour, people across America and around the world will send a powerful, visual message to world leaders that they want action on climate change. Earth Hour is also galvanizing the public to get more actively engaged in efforts to secure climate legislation in the U.S. and a new global climate treaty. More than 90,000 letters urging action on climate change have been sent by Earth Hour supporters to their elected representatives at the local, state and national levels.

“Earth Hour is an unprecedented global vote for the future of our planet,” said Dr. Richard H. Moss, vice president for climate change at World Wildlife Fund, which is organizing Earth Hour. “From Indiana to Indonesia, people around the world are getting engaged, making their voices heard and telling their leaders that they want action on climate change.

“I applaud Congresswoman Biggert and Congressman Barrow for recognizing the important role of Earth Hour in engaging the public and elevating the issue of climate change on the political agenda.”

“Earth Hour is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the need for clean, renewable energy alternatives,” said Biggert, a senior member of the House Science and Technology Committee. “Our environment and economic prosperity depend on our reducing our dependence on foreign energy sources. That's why it's so important to promote research and development on alternatives like hydrogen, geothermal, and clean coal technologies.”
Congressman Barrow added: “This is a great example of how a relatively easy act for one family, turning off the lights, multiplied by millions worldwide, can have a positive impact by raising awareness about climate change. Maybe it’ll also remind folks to turn off lights in their houses when they leave a room or go out for the day, which is good for the environment, and good for the electric bill!”

Nearly 300 U.S. cities will join more than 3,900 globally in turning out their lights tomorrow from 8:30 to 9:30 pm for Earth Hour. Major landmarks going dark include European Union headquarters in Brussels, United Nations headquarters in New York, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing, Great Pyramids of Giza, Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, National Cathedral in Washington, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and state capitol domes in Pennsylvania, Arkansas and New Mexico.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

PENNSYLVANIA, CALIFORNIA, ARKANSAS SIGN ON AS FIRST EARTH HOUR STATES

2009-03-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

State Capitol Domes to go Dark in Harrisburg, Little Rock

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2009 – Pennsylvania, California and Arkansas have joined the Earth Hour movement, becoming the first US states to pledge support for the global climate change event in which hundreds of millions of people around the world will turn off their lights this Saturday for one hour, at 8:30 pm, to cast a powerful, visual vote for action on climate change.

Earlier today, the State of Arkansas announced it will be turning off the lights on the state capitol dome and the governor’s mansion in Little Rock for Earth Hour. The dome on Pennsylvania’s capitol building in Harrisburg will also be going dark.

“Earth Hour is a symbolic event that demonstrates that everyone in every country must play a role in addressing the critical issue of climate change,” said Dr. Richard Moss, vice president for climate change at World Wildlife Fund, which is organizing Earth Hour. “As state governments join with cities, national governments, international bodies, businesses and individual citizens to turn out the lights for Earth Hour, it symbolizes that action will be required at all levels – from local to global – to solve the climate crisis.”

Last Wednesday, March 18, Pennsylvania became the first Earth Hour state when its House of Representatives passed a resolution declaring 8:30 to 9:30 pm on Saturday, March 28, as “Earth Hour” in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The California legislature followed suit this week with passage of an Earth Hour resolution on Monday. In both states, the legislatures urged residents, businesses and state employees to participate in Earth Hour by turning off all non-essential lighting on homes, businesses and state buildings for the hour.

Pennsylvania State Representative Tim Briggs, who introduced his state’s Earth Hour resolution, said: “Fighting global warming will take a concerted effort at every level, from the family who separates out its recycling each week to the federal government working to cut carbon emissions nationwide. We are all in this together and I’m proud that Pennsylvania continues to be a leader in the green movement.”

“By promoting the worldwide event and calling on all Californians to participate, we can further contribute to reducing greenhouse gases and help bring awareness to over 35 million Californians on how they can contribute to fighting global warming,” said California State Senator Patricia Wiggins (D), the sponsor of the California Earth Hour resolution. “I encourage everyone to join me in this effort and do all you can to promote this important, worldwide event.”

“We know that turning out the lights for one hour will not solve the climate change crisis,” said Moss. “Earth Hour is a symbolic event, but symbols have played an important role in the political history of our country – from the Boston tea party to Dr. Martin Luther King’s march on Selma. We hope that the symbolism of Earth Hour will likewise motive people to act.”

More than 2,600 cities in over 80 countries, including more than 220 cities in the US, will be participating in Earth Hour on Saturday. Key landmarks going dark for the event include the National Cathedral in Washington, Broadway, Las Vegas strip, Niagara Falls, Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower and Elysee Palace in Paris, the Great Pyramids and Sphinx in Egypt, London Eye, and Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

AMERICAN IDOL, BONES, FAMILY GUY GO DARK FOR EARTH HOUR

2009-03-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

MORE CELEBS, SHOWS AND BUILDINGS COMMIT TO TURNING OUT FOR EARTH HOUR L.A. MARCH 28

Leeza Gibbons to Host Opening of Earth Hour L.A. Celebration, Tony Okungbowa ("The Ellen DeGeneres Show") will Emcee, and Broadway Star Douglas Ladnier to Perform at L.A. LIVE, While sets of "American Idol," "Bones," "Family Guy," "Good Day L.A.," FOX 11 News," and FOX Sports West" Join Previously Announced Shows and Commit to Going Dark

Chateau Marmont, The Standard Hollywood, The Standard Downtown LA, BP’s Helios House, The Gibson Amphitheater, The Los Angeles Times Building All Turning Out Lights

-- Free Citywide Celebration in Nokia Plaza at L.A. LIVE Starting at 6:30 p.m.--

(LOS ANGELES) March 26, 2009–More celebs are "turning out" as part of World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour L.A. (Mar. 28, 8:30-9:30 p.m.), the first global vote for action on climate change, and the Earth Hour L.A. free celebration taking place March 28th at L.A. LIVE starting at 6:30 p.m. TV personality Leeza Gibbons, Broadway singer/songwriter Douglas Ladnier join previously announced emcee Tony Okungbowa from "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," as well as actor Edward James Olmos, the L.A. Agape choir, led by Tim McAfee-Lewis, local urban artist Gina Rene, local student group "The Life Drum Core," and many more surprise guests and celebrities at L.A. LIVE. More Iconic Buildings Turn OutAndre Balazs Properties including Chateau Marmont, The Standard Hollywood, The Standard Downtown LA, BP’s Helios House, The Gibson Amphitheater, The Los Angeles Times, UCLA’s Royce Hall, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Wilshire Christian Church, and Wilshire United Methodist Church will turn out their lights from 8:30 – 9:30 PM on March 28th for Earth Hour."American Idol," "Bones," "Family Guy," "Good Day L.A.," FOX 11 News, and FOX Sports West join previously announced shows "Dancing with the Stars," "CSI," "Entertainment Tonight," "The Insider," "The Price Is Right," and Commit to Going Dark The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, lead by Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, has committed to turn off the following LA County buildings: Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse, Hall of Records, and Department of Health Service Administration. These join previous icons including: The Griffith Observatory, Getty Center, STAPLES Center, and Chris Burden’s outdoor installation Urban Light at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) join previously announced list including El Capitan. Theatre, the Capitol Records Tower, Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel, the pylons at LAX, City Hall, Amoeba Records; I.O. West, Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, The Comedy Store (all of whom will host "Dark Performances" on the 28th.) Dine By CandlelightDine By Candlelight welcomes the following hotels, restaurants and bars: Akasha - the first "all green" fine dining restaurant in LA, Tender Greens - Culver City, The Corner Hollywood, M Cafe – Melrose, Chaya - Venice, Beverly Hills, DowntownEuphoria Loves Rawvolution, Mani's Bakery – Fairfax, and Gyenari - Culver City. At L.A. LIVE, all the restaurants are participating: The Farm of Beverly Hills - L.A. LIVE, Boca at The Conga, ESPN Zone, Fleming's Prime Steak House and Wine Bar, New Zealand Natural, Rock N' Fish, Starbuck's Coffee, The Yard House, and Club Nokia. Thanks to partnerships with OpenTable and Restaurant Week's dineLA, the number of restaurants across the city who are dimming their lights and serving dinner and drinks by candlelight (while offering special Earth Hour menus) has hit more than 60. For more information: www.EarthHourUS.org/LosAngeles.Previously AnnouncedKevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Los Angeles Kings, Alanis Morissette, Baron Davis, Big Kenny of Big & Rich, Tom Bergeron of "Dancing with the Stars," Will.I.Am, Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight," Janeane Garofalo, and others who are joining hundreds of millions of people around the world in raising awareness and prompting action on climate change. Many of the celebrities have donated their time to create PSAs and shout-outs, which are now available on the Earth Hour L.A. Web site (www.EarthHourUS.org/losangeles <http://www.EarthHourUS.org/losangeles>). By the time Earth Hour 2009 reaches L.A.’s city limits, it will have traveled through 20 time zones, with individuals, businesses and governments in more than 2,800 cities in 84 countries across the globe turning off non-essential lights in support. Earth Hour L.A. will be celebrated with a free public event by WWF and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at L.A. LIVE on March 28th beginning at 6:30 p.m. KEARTH 101 is a partner of Earth Hour L.A. and will be bringing all of the week's activities, as well as the evening of the 28th to listeners across southern California. Dignitaries and special guests previously announced include WWF’s Margaret Williams, Tim Leiweke, President/CEO of AEG and L.A. LIVE, DJ and TV Personality Tony Okungbowa, and political figures Jan Perry and Cynthia Ruiz.
Local area students and musicians are part of the evening's entertainment line-up, including 12 young artists that make up the Life Drum Core from the HeArt Project. The Life Drum Core will perform an original percussion composition called 'A Funeral for Fossil Fuels' on buckets they have painted to align with the theme of the music. The group will also perform with local urban singer/ songwriter Gina Rene who will be performing her song -- and official Earth Hour L.A. anthem -- "Be the Change." The musical director for The Life Drum Core is Lonnie 'Meganut' Marshall, a music instructor at the Silver Lake Conservatory. The CBS Network has committed to turning out all non-essential lights at its CBS Television City complex for Earth Hour while the sets, and some of the stars of TV shows will do the same, including: “Dancing with the Stars" (as well as Tom Bergeron), "Entertainment Tonight" (and Mary Hart), “The Insider,” “Price is Right,” and "CSI." Current TV is a partner of Earth Hour L.A. and is now supporting the “60OneMinutes.org” campaign which is part of Earth Hour, asking people to create a one minute movie about how they can power their lives using alternative energy and submit it to www.60oneminutes.org for the chance of seeing it broadcast on Current TV starting March 28th, Earth Hour Day!
Through AEG's participation with Earth Hour L.A., 28 AEG properties around the world have committed to turning out and taking action in their local time zones on March 28th as well. Additionally real estate company CB Richard Ellis has committed to turn off all non-essential lighting and equipment in 80 managed office buildings totaling nearly 20 million square feet in L.A. WWF officials stress the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on throughout the event.National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard. About World Wildlife Fund and Earth HourEarth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org <http://www.EarthHourUS.org> ) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org <http://www.worldwildlife.org> to learn more.
# # #

TUNE IN TO LARRY KING LIVE TONIGHT ON CNN

2009-03-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

Larry King to talk with Edward Norton, Alanis Morissette and WWF CEO Carter Roberts about Earth Hour, tonight at 9:00p.m. EDT on CNN.

BREAKING NEWS!!!! BREAKING NEWS!!!!

2009-03-24T16:37:00.001-07:00

2,500 CITIES IN 82 COUNTRIES

Quadruple the number of cities that participated last year.

GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA, ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS TO SWITCH OFF FOR WWF'S EARTH HOUR

2009-03-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA, ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS TO SWITCH OFF FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

Egypt and Greece to Cast their Vote for Planet Earth by Switching Off Lights

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2009 - At 8:30 pm on March 28th in celebration of Earth Hour, lights will go out on some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world—the Acropolis of Athens and the Sphinx and Great Pyramids of Giza, as modern-day Greeks and Egyptians join Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

Approximately 5,000 years after their completion, Egypt’s Great Pyramids will go dark for Earth Hour, a potent symbol of what can be achieved through collective action on March 28th when around 2,400 cities in 82 countries turn off their lights for Earth Hour.

Egypt’s First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, supports Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

“Climate Change is a growing international crisis no country can afford to overlook. Global warming negatively impacts the environment as well as the health and livelihoods of people worldwide. The interconnected challenges of our time demand immediate, cooperative action.” The First Lady said. “United together, we can and will make a difference. I am pleased to offer my support of Earth Hour and am encouraged by the World Wildlife Fund's sustainability initiatives. Earth Hour heightens awareness and brings hope to the preservation of our shared planet’s precious environment today and for generations to come.”

The lights will also go out for Earth Hour on another of the ancient world’s great monuments, the Acropolis in Athens, a poignant icon in the birthplace of modern democracy for the world’s first global vote between Earth and climate change. Completed in 5th century BC, the Acropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list of monuments.

Many companies are participating in Earth Hour as well and sending a powerful message to the world about their support for action on climate change. Members of WWF’s Climate Savers program, which mobilizes companies to reduce CO2 emissions, have pledged their support. The Coca-Cola Company will turn off iconic signs around the world, including famous marquees in New York’s Times Square, near San Francisco’s Bay Bridge, in London’s Piccadilly Circus, Sydney’s King’s Cross and on the Las Vegas strip.

As a result of the CEO’s global call to action, the company, its bottlers and its employees will be participating in Earth Hour in more than 50 countries by darkening facilities and homes. At Tetra Pak, the CEO sent a note to all employees, customers and suppliers urging participation in Earth Hour and the company has committed to turn off non-essential lights and equipment in its offices and factories. And fellow Climate Savers members Hewlett Packard, Johnson & Johnson, and JohnsonDiversey will turn off their lights for Earth Hour. Other participating companies include Marriott Hotels, who are participating at all of their properties around the world, BDO Seidman, CB Richard Ellis, Esurance, Fairmont Hotels, Four Seasons, Ingram Companies, JPMorgan Chase, Mattel, McDonald’s, National Geographic Society, Ritz Carlton, Tishman Speyer and Wells Fargo.

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at www.EarthHourUS.org.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php. In addition, the Earth Hour PR team can help facilitate interviews with major participants, including government officials, well-known personalities, and WWF officials discussing their involvement in the lead up to this historic evening.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

# # #

EARTHMAN HELPS EDUCATE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

2009-03-24T05:25:00.001-07:00

EARTHMAN IS EDUCATING PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. He took time to write a song for Earth Hour and make a video. Please check them out HERE and visit Earthman here

BROADWAY THEATERS DIM THEIR LIGHTS IN SUPPORT OF EARTH HOUR

2009-03-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

“They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway…”
(Except on March 28th at 8:30 pm when they go dark for Earth Hour 2009)

BROADWAY THEATERS DIM THEIR LIGHTS IN SUPPORT OF
PLANET EARTH FOR WWF’S GLOBAL CLIMATE EVENT
Thomas Edison’s Lab, Rockefeller Center, Chrysler Building, Space Needle Join Hundreds of Companies, Buildings, Organizations “Turning Out” Across the US

WASHINGTON DC, March 23, 2009 – Support for WWF’s Earth Hour continues to build across the nation as corporations and iconic structures pledge to go dark for the global climate event, which takes place on March 28th at 8:30 p.m.

WWF confirmed today that nearly all of the Broadway theaters in New York City have committed to dimming marquee lights in support of Earth Hour. Also going dark in New York will be Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building, Reuters/NASDAQ and Coca-Cola digital billboards/signs in Times Square, the Con-Edison Clock Tower, and Citi Group Center. WWF had announced last week participation from the Empire State Building and United Nations headquarters.

Broadway Goes Green is an ongoing initiative that was recently created to implement green practices both within the theatre community and among theatre-goers,” says Executive Director of The Broadway League, Charlotte St. Martin. “Broadway producer and theatre owners – plus those on stage and behind-the-scenes – are joining together in the quest to keep NYC and our planet healthy and we’re happy to collaborate with partners around the world by dimming the marquees of Broadway theatres during Earth Hour.”

Also on the list, the birthplace of the light bulb, Thomas Edison’s laboratory in West Orange, NJ, will be going dark for Earth Hour.

“Thomas Edison’s invention of the incandescent light bulb more than a century ago played a pivotal role in ushering in an era of unprecedented global technological advancement, and it is that same sort of innovative thinking and resourcefulness that will be key to successfully addressing climate change in the 21st century,” stated Dr. Richard Moss, WWF’s Managing Director of Climate Change.

To date, more than 1,800 cities and towns located in 81 countries have committed to officially going dark for one hour as individuals, businesses, government buildings, schools and major landmarks turn off non-essential lighting in what will be the largest climate event in history. More than 150 cities have signed on to participate in the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. A full list of cities can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/map.php

Many organizations are using Earth Hour as a way to engage their employees and customers in green activities and highlight the work they are doing year-round to lower their carbon footprint and reduce emissions.

Participating companies include: BDO Seidman, The Coca-Cola Company, CB Richard Ellis, Esurance, Fairmont Hotels, Four Seasons, Ingram Companies, JPMorgan Chase, Marriott Hotels, Mattel, McDonald’s, National Geographic Society, Ritz Carlton, Tishman Speyer and Wells Fargo.

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at www.EarthHourUS.org.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php. In addition, the Earth Hour PR team can help facilitate interviews with major participants, including government officials, well-known personalities, and WWF officials discussing their involvement in the lead up to this historic evening.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

# # #

THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT ON BROADWAY

2009-03-23T11:39:00.001-07:00

“They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway…”
(Except on March 28th at 8:30 pm when they go dark for Earth Hour 2009)

BROADWAY THEATERS DIM THEIR LIGHTS IN SUPPORT OF
PLANET EARTH FOR WWF’S GLOBAL CLIMATE EVENT
Thomas Edison’s Lab, Rockefeller Center, Chrysler Building, Space Needle Join Hundreds of Companies, Buildings, Organizations “Turning Out” Across the US

WASHINGTON DC, March 23, 2009 – Support for WWF’s Earth Hour continues to build across the nation as corporations and iconic structures pledge to go dark for the global climate event, which takes place on March 28th at 8:30 p.m.

WWF confirmed today that nearly all of the Broadway theaters in New York City have committed to dimming marquee lights in support of Earth Hour. Also going dark in New York will be Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building, Reuters/NASDAQ and Coca-Cola digital billboards/signs in Times Square, the Con-Edison Clock Tower, and Citi Group Center. WWF had announced last week participation from the Empire State Building and United Nations headquarters.

Broadway Goes Green is an ongoing initiative that was recently created to implement green practices both within the theatre community and among theatre-goers,” says Executive Director of The Broadway League, Charlotte St. Martin. “Broadway producer and theatre owners – plus those on stage and behind-the-scenes – are joining together in the quest to keep NYC and our planet healthy and we’re happy to collaborate with partners around the world by dimming the marquees of Broadway theatres during Earth Hour.”

Also on the list, the birthplace of the light bulb, Thomas Edison’s laboratory in West Orange, NJ, will be going dark for Earth Hour.

“Thomas Edison’s invention of the incandescent light bulb more than a century ago played a pivotal role in ushering in an era of unprecedented global technological advancement, and it is that same sort of innovative thinking and resourcefulness that will be key to successfully addressing climate change in the 21st century,” stated Dr. Richard Moss, WWF’s Managing Director of Climate Change.

To date, more than 1,800 cities and towns located in 81 countries have committed to officially going dark for one hour as individuals, businesses, government buildings, schools and major landmarks turn off non-essential lighting in what will be the largest climate event in history. More than 150 cities have signed on to participate in the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. A full list of cities can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/map.php

Many organizations are using Earth Hour as a way to engage their employees and customers in green activities and highlight the work they are doing year-round to lower their carbon footprint and reduce emissions.

Participating companies include: BDO Seidman, The Coca-Cola Company, CB Richard Ellis, Esurance, Fairmont Hotels, Four Seasons, Ingram Companies, JPMorgan Chase, Marriott Hotels, Mattel, McDonald’s, National Geographic Society, Ritz Carlton, Tishman Speyer and Wells Fargo.

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php. In addition, the Earth Hour PR team can help facilitate interviews with major participants, including government officials, well-known personalities, and WWF officials discussing their involvement in the lead up to this historic evening.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (http://www.earthhourus.org/) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit http://www.worldwildlife.org/ to learn more.

# # #

NEW VIDEOS!!!!! NEW VIDEOS!!!!!

2009-03-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

KEVIN BACON, KYRA SEDGWICK, BARON DAVIS, BIG KENNY, KRISTA ALLEN, MELISSA GILBERT, JAX SMITH, HART BOCHNER AND OTHER GREAT EARTH HOUR VIDEOS.

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE

2009-03-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

HAVE YOU SEEN THE PSA'S FROM ALANIS MORISSETTE AND DONNY & MARIE OSMOND? CHECK THEM OUT!!!

Earth Hour: The Huge Turn Off- Alanis Morissette PSA

Donny and Marie Osmond Support Earth Hour

BREAKING NEWS!!!! BREAKING NEWS!!!!

2009-03-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

EDWARD NORTON NAMED EARTH HOUR AMBASSADOR IN THE U.S. ----

"The realization that we are altering the climate of this planet in waysthat will not sustain our civilization is clearly the defining challengeof our time. Global political leaders have failed to act with urgencyor to take serious action to address this threat. With the conferencein Copenhagen fast approaching we need to urge our leaders to adopt firm commitments to curbing carbon emissions by demonstrating true globalsupport for this cause.

That's why, along with World Wildlife Fund, I am encouraging people toturn off their lights for one hour on March 28th at 8:30 p.m. -- EarthHour -- and join tens of millions of people around the world in thelargest call to action on climate change in history. Earth Hour sends apowerful message to the world that we must act urgently before it's toolate. By turning out the lights , Americans will be casting a vote foraction. I hope you will join us."

UN Secretary-General Urges Citizens to Join WWF's Earth Hour

2009-03-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged citizens around the world to join WWF's Earth Hour to demand action on climate change. (VIDEO AVAILABLE AT THE JUMP)

In a video-taped address, the Secretary-General said that Earth Hour – which takes place on Saturday 28th March – promises to be “the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted.”

“Earth Hour is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message. They want action on climate change.” said Secretary-General Ban.

Speaking just a week before Earth Hour rolls out across thousands of towns and cities across the globe, Ban underlined the seriousness of climate change and the need for a global climate deal to be agreed when the world's leaders meet in Copenhagen this coming December.

“People will be telling their representatives to seal a deal in Copenhagen. A deal at the climate change talks that will protect people and the planet. We need an ambitious agreement. An agreement that is fair and effective. An agreement based on sound science.”

Secretary-General Ban went on to underline the seriousness of climate change and the scale of the task ahead. “We are on a dangerous path. Our planet is warming. We must change our ways,” he said. “We need green growth that benefits all communities. We need sustainable energy for a more climate-friendly, prosperous world. This is the path of the future. We must walk it together.”

WWF's Earth Hour is being hailed as the biggest ever global movement – a vote for the future of planet earth. Hundreds of millions of people are expected to take part by switching off non-essential lighting for an hour. Cities from Las Vegas to Sydney, from Cape Town to Beijing will go dark for an hour.

Ban said that the United Nations would be doing its bit for Earth Hour. “In New York, we will switch out the lights at UN Headquarters. Other UN facilities around the world will also take part.”

And he concluded: “I urge citizens everywhere to join us. Please send a strong message on climate change. Together we can find a solution to this most serious of global challenges.”

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

2009-03-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

HOLLYWOOD SUPPORTS WWF’S EARTH HOUR AS SETS GO DARK ON “CSI,” “DANCING WITH THE STARS,” “PRICE IS RIGHT” AND “ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT”

Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Baron Davis, Will.I.Am, Mary Hart among celebrities turning off the lights support of Planet Earth on Saturday, March 28th

LOS ANGELES, March 19, 2009–Sets and celebrities from the worlds of TV, film, music and sports are pledging to turn out their lights as part of World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour, the first global vote for action on climate change, taking place March 28th at 8:30-9:30 p.m.

Edward Norton, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, members of the L.A. Kings, Alanis Morissette, Kesiha Knight Pulliam, Jennette McCurdy, Baron Davis, Big Kenny of Big & Rich, Tom Bergeron of "Dancing with the Stars," Will.I.Am, Isabella Rossellini, Edward James Olmos, Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight," George Lopez, Janeane Garofalo, Linkin Park and others will join hundreds of millions of people around the world in demanding action on climate change.

The CBS Network has committed to turning out all non-essential lights at its CBS Television City complex for Earth Hour while the sets, and some of the stars of TV shows will do the same, including: “Dancing with the Stars" (as well as Tom Bergeron), "Entertainment Tonight" (and Mary Hart), “The Insider,” “Price is Right,” and "CSI."

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth HourEarth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

###

Black Is The New Green

2009-03-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL AND OTHER AREA LANDMARKS TO GO DARK FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

—D.C. JOINS 1,500 OTHER CITIES CASTING VOTES FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE ON MARCH 28—

Washington—March 17, 2009—The Washington National Cathedral is among many area landmarks throughout metropolitan Washington turning off their lights for World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour 2009 on March 28 as part of a symbolic vote for action on climate change. Earth Hour, the largest environmental awareness event ever, has more than 1,500 cities and millions of people participating worldwide, including such cities as Atlanta, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Beijing, Mexico City, Istanbul, Paris, Rome and Sydney.

“In a city where votes matter, we urge Washingtonians to vote earth by turning off their lights for Earth Hour,” said Carter Roberts, CEO of World Wildlife Fund. “With this event we send a message to Congress, President Obama and world leaders that decisive action on climate change legislation is needed now to protect our way of life and our natural resources.”

Beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28th a wide array of organizations in the Washington metro area, including Washington, D.C., Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia, Frederick and Montgomery Counties and Baltimore in Maryland, will turn off non-essential lighting on many buildings.

For more information and to participate, please visit www.EarthHourUS.org
During Earth Hour 2009 lights are already slated to go out across the region, reflecting a diverse mix of government, business and educational organizations:

· Washington National Cathedral
· John A. Wilson City Building
· Walter E. Washington Convention Center
· Franklin D. Reeves Center for Municipal Affairs
· Judiciary Square
· American University, Howard University and Gallaudet University
· JW Marriott Hotel
· Fairmont Washington Hotel
· Willard Intercontinental Hotel
· National Geographic Society Headquarters
· National Theater
· National Education Association Headquarters
· George Washington Masonic Memorial, Alexandria
· Brookings Institution
· Australian and Canadian Embassies
· House of Sweden

A number of organizations have also pledged participation, including the Apartment and Office Building Managers Association, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, CarbonFreeDC, the American Institute of Architects, the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, and 4-H. In addition, on March 28, the Koshland Science Museum exhibit Global Warming Facts and Our Future will be featured 10 a.m.-5 p.m. along with a hands-on experiment showing how increased greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere can harm coral reefs and other sea life. The museum is located at 6th & E Sts. NW. For more information see www.koshland-science-museum.org.

Dining Out in the Dark
A number of area restaurants and hotels are participating in Earth Hour with special promotions. The Fairmont Washington Hotel, 2401 M. St., will feature a candlelight dinner with an organic menu and organic cocktails. In Reston Heights, the Sheraton and Westin Hotels will offer guests an organic menu and organic wines and turn off all non-safety lights in the hotel for candlelight dining.

For more information and to participate in Earth Hour, please visit www.EarthHourUS.org/WashingtonDC

Earth Hour Attracts World Landmarks, Leaders and Celebrities

Around the world, icons committed to Earth Hour include:
· Empire State Building in New York
· The Las Vegas Strip
· Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
· Sears Tower in Chicago
· Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
· Sydney Opera House
· Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro
· Niagara Falls in New York
· Stockholm Castle

Oscar nominated actor Edward Norton is the official ambassador for Earth Hour 2009 with support from Nobel Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actresses Janeane Garofalo and Jennette McCurdy, fashionistas Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, as well as musicians Linkin Park, Alanis Morissette, Coldplay, Jo Dee Messina, Big Kenny (Big & Rich), Gavin DeGraw, KT Tunstall, Mary Mary, Dierks Bently, Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Lady Antebellum, SHeDAISY, Finger Eleven, Simple Plan, Justin Nozuka, The Veronicas and Rise Against.

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.
National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA, ICONIC AMERICAN LANDMARKS TO DARKEN FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

2009-03-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

More Than 100 U.S. Cities Join Largest, Global Climate Event in History to Vote for Change on Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 p.m.

WASHINGTON—March 17, 2009— From the United Nations building in New York City to the Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel in Los Angeles County, support for Earth Hour continues to grow as new U.S. cities, high-profile landmarks, organizations and individuals commit to cast their vote in the world’s first global vote for action for climate change by turning off lights on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. local time.

Organized by World Wildlife Fund, participation in Earth Hour has expanded dramatically in the U.S. over the past few days with more than 100 cities and towns now agreeing to darken some of the nation’s most famous skylines including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

The US will join more than 1,500 cities, towns and villages in 80 countries including Beijing, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Moscow, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, Sydney, and Toronto as Earth Hour cascades through the world’s time zones on this historic night.

“With Earth Hour, millions of people from all walks of life will demonstrate their commitment to take action on climate change,” said Carter Roberts, CEO of World Wildlife Fund. “Turning off the lights is just the beginning. We’re asking everyone to also make commitments to reduce their energy use during the rest of the year and to ask their elected representatives to do the right thing because we need climate legislation now.”

The list of iconic landmarks and popular attractions in the U.S. that will go dark for one hour on March 28th include:

New York
· U.N. headquarters building
· Coca-Cola digital billboard in Times Square
· Empire State Building, Time Warner Center and NY Life building

Las Vegas
· The Las Vegas Strip including major casino and hotel properties such as the Luxor Las Vegas (its beam can be seen from space), Caesars Palace Las Vegas and Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.
· Fremont Street Experience (largest digital screen in the world)
· “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.

Washington, D.C.
· National Theater
· John A. Wilson City Building
· Walter E. Washington Convention Center
· Judiciary Square

Los Angeles
· Santa Monica Pier and Ferris Wheel
· Capitol Records building
· El Capitan and El Rey Theaters
· Griffith Observatory
· Pylons at LAX
· Pinks Hot Dog stand

Chicago
· Sears Tower and John Hancock Building
· Navy Pier

San Francisco
· Golden Gate Bridge
· Coit Tower
· TransAmerica Building

Nashville
· Nashville’s Honkytonks including Tootsie’s, the Second Fiddle and the Stage on Broadway
· The AT&T Building
· Country Music Hall of Fame

Atlanta
· Bank of America Plaza
· Fox Theatre
· 191 Peachtree Tower
· The Varsity

In Addition:
· The Gateway Arch in St. Louis
· Zakim Bridge in Boston

Celebrities showing their support include Oscar-nominated actor Edward Norton (the official US ambassador for Earth Hour 2009), Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actresses Janeane Garofalo, Keisha Knight Pulliam and Jennette McCurdy, fashionistas Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, as well as musicians Linkin Park, Alanis Morissette, Jo Dee Messina, Big Kenny (Big & Rich), Gavin DeGraw, KT Tunstall, Mary Mary, Dierks Bently, Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Lady Antebellum, SHeDAISY, Finger Eleven, Simple Plan, Justin Nozuka, The Veronicas, Rise Against and Coldplay.

With less than two weeks until the event, WWF has already received commitments from a vast range of national organizations to participate and engage their members including: the American Federation of Teachers, Building Owners and Managers Association, 4-H, National Education Association, National Science Teachers Association, Newspaper Association of America Foundation, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

In addition, a large number of leading colleges and universities will also serve as flagship campuses for Earth Hour, including: Columbia University, Gallaudet University, Howard University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Miami, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Virginia and Georgia Tech University.

Icons outside of the U.S. committed to shutting off their lights for Earth Hour include:
· Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
· Sydney Opera House
· Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro
· Niagara Falls
· Stockholm Castle
· Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights and Taipei 101
· Burj Dubai and Burj Al Arab
· Moscow State University
· Coca-Cola sign at Piccadilly Circus and London Eye
· King Hussain’s Mosque in Jordan
· Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand
· Victoria Square Dome in Ireland
· Edinburgh Castle in Scotland
· Table Mountain in South Africa

The event on March 28th is just one step in an ongoing effort to fight climate change. After the lights go out around the world on this evening, WWF hopes that conversations will continue on climate change and that people will take initiatives to make small changes in their lives to be more carbon efficient.

WWF encourages simple but effective energy-saving measures such as installing compact fluorescent light bulbs, which are more efficient and last much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, choosing energy efficient appliances, making sure their car tires are properly inflated and unplugging electronics when they are not in use.

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

1500 Cities Globally Sign up for Earth Hour

2009-03-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

More than 1500 cities around the world, including Berlin, Germany have committed to turning off their lights for Earth Hour.

Berlin joins other international cities such as Beijing, Copenhagen, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Sydney and Toronto.

U.S. cities include Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Tucson, and Washington D.C.

Wanna Change the World?

2009-03-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

www.60OneMinutes.org and Current are teaming up to help you take back your power. It's simple, just make a one minute movie about how you can power your life using alternative energy.

You can make a difference.
Go to current.com/sixtyoneminutes to get more details and find out how you can upload your video.

You have until March 21st.

If selected your movie may be featured on Current TV.

Remember, media that makes a difference, is media that matters most, so take back your power.

Make a one minute movie and change the world.

Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium, City Hall To Go Dark For 2nd Annual St. Louis Earth Hour Event

2009-03-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

St. Louis Named Official Participating City; Mayor Slay, County Executive Dooley On Board For March 28 Event

St. Louis, MO (March 11, 2009) –Many of St. Louis’ most recognizable structures will be left in the dark, if only for an hour, as the highlight of the 2nd annual St. Louis Earth Hour event. The Gateway Arch, St. Louis City Hall, Busch Stadium and the Tums Building are among the area venues that will turn their lights off during the event, to take place Saturday, March 28, 2009.

St. Louis’ most iconic structure, the Gateway Arch, will take part in Earth Hour by shutting off the 44 spotlights that illuminate the 630-foot tall monument. “Having the Arch, one of the world’s most recognizable monuments, participate in this year’s effort is a great thrill,” said Tim Leon, Managing Partner, Geile-Leon Marketing Communications. The Clayton-based marketing communications agency sponsored the first St. Louis Earth Hour event last year, and is doing so again this year.

At a news conference today, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, representatives from Geile-Leon, the St. Louis Cardinals, and Earth Hour USA announced details of this year’s event, and challenged area residents and businesses to participate. St. Louis Earth Hour 2009 will take place at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 28 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Busch Stadium will shut off its lights at 8:30 p.m.

“The St. Louis Cardinals are proud to join in this year’s Earth Hour event, which we believe is a perfect extension of our ‘4 A Greener Game’ initiative,” said Bill DeWitt III, President, St. Louis Cardinals. “The Cardinals are committed to promoting environmental stewardship and sustainability. Our goal is to put a winning team on the field and create a safe, fun, family-friendly environment and entertainment experience for our guests while minimizing the impact on the natural environment.”

Mayor Slay announced that in addition to proclaiming March 28, 2009 as “Earth Hour Day”, the lights at St. Louis City Hall would be turned off at 8:30 p.m. that evening as part of Earth Hour. “We hope by having City Hall go dark, other city businesses and residents will follow suit and turn off all unnecessary lights for the hour,” said the Mayor. It's important to remember that Earth Hour is a collective endeavor to raise awareness of global climate change—relying on the combined efforts of neighborhoods, communities and entire countries—resulting in a positive impact on our planet.

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley announced that the county will also participate in this year’s Earth Hour Event. He announced that the Lawrence K. Roos Building (St. Louis County Government Center) in Clayton will go dark for Earth Hour.

“We are thrilled that so many of St. Louis’ civic leaders from the public and private sectors are participating in this year’s Earth Hour event,” said Darron Collins, Managing Director, Southeastern Programs, World Wildlife Fund, who attended the news conference. “Earth Hour in itself will not lower our carbon footprint, rather it sends a signal to those in a place of power that we as individuals and communities demand action. The main point of Earth Hour is to unite people, companies and governments around the world through the symbolic flip of a switch.”

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia on March 31, 2007 where 2.2 million people, and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour. In just two years, it has become a global event. The Earth Hour event at Busch Stadium is open to the public and will feature plenty of fun and live entertainment. “We hope as many people as possible will turn off their lights at home, and come down to Busch Stadium and join us for a great party,” said Craig Jung, founder of St. Louis Green. “We all have a stake in helping to lessen the impact of global climate change, and it really is our duty to be the good stewards of this planet and its invaluable resources.”

Geile-Leon Marketing Communications organized and sponsored the first St. Louis Earth Hour event in 2008. “We’re very excited to once again join the worldwide effort and represent St. Louis,” said Dave Geile, Managing Partner of Geile-Leon Marketing Communications. “And we’re very grateful to those who have agreed to participate in this worthwhile cause.” To learn more about Earth Hour nationally go to www.eartthhourusa.org, and for information on the Geile-Leon sponsored event in St. Louis go to www.powerhourstl.com.

Breaking News

2009-03-06T08:50:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON D.C. TURNS OUT THE LIGHTS FOR
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR

Nation's Capital Joins 950 Cities Around the World, Including Paris, London, Hong Kong, Rome, Beijing, Nairobi and Moscow, in Historic Call to Action on Climate Change

WASHINGTON, DC, March 4, 2009 - World Wildlife Fund announced today that the District of Columbia has signed on to be an official flagship city for Earth Hour 2009, a global climate change event in which tens of millions of citizens, businesses and government leaders from all corners of the world will turn off their lights to make a statement about the urgent need for action on climate change.

Beginning at 8:30 p.m. on March 28th, the District will turn off non-essential lighting on many buildings and landmarks, including facilities owned by the local government. More than 950 cities in 80 countries have committed to turning out for Earth Hour. In the US, the District joins Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York and San Francisco in dimming its skyline to cast a vote for action on the climate crisis.

"The way we light our buildings is a major factor in any city's carbon footprint," said George S. Hawkins, director of the District Department of the Environment. "Earth Hour is a symbolic but important step in showing the world we're serious about the climate."
"This will be a pivotal year in the future of our planet as we look to Congress, President Obama and global leaders to take immediate and decisive action on climate change," said Dr. Richard Moss, Vice President and Managing Director of WWF's Climate Change Program. "Having our Nation's Capital go dark for Earth Hour will send a powerful message to the world that the US is ready to assume a leadership position in solving one of the most serious challenges facing our planet today. By turning out the lights, the people of Washington will be casting a vote in support of the future of the Earth."
During Earth Hour 2009, lights are slated to go out on some of the world's most iconic buildings and landmarks including:

The Las Vegas Strip

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

Sears Tower in Chicago

Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in Paris

Sydney Opera House

Christ the Redeemer in Brazil

Niagara Falls

Coliseum in Rome

Stockholm Castle

Burj Dubai

WWF officials stressed the importance of safety during Earth Hour, noting that all lighting related to public safety will remain on.
More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at www.EarthHourUS.org
National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.
Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at www.earthhour.org/mediacentre.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world's leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

Breaking News

2009-03-05T07:17:00.000-08:00

MORE THAN 850 CITIES HAVE SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR 2009

Number of Cities in the U.S. Doubles in One Week as Boulder, Detroit, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Others Commit to “Voting Earth” in the Largest Call to Action on Climate Change in History

March 4, 2009 – Washington, D.C. – World Wildlife Fund announced today that the largest, global call to action on climate change has reached a new milestone as more than 850 cities in 80 countries have officially signed on to turn off their lights during Earth Hour on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 p.m. local time. Skylines of the world’s most dynamic cities will dim for one hour for the first ever Vote for Earth, where every flick of the light switch is a vote for our elected representatives to take immediate and lasting action on climate change.

Ann Arbor, Boulder, Detroit, Eugene, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Seattle and others join previously announced key cities in the U.S. Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York City and San Francisco for Earth Hour 09. A full list of cities can be found at www.EarthHourUS.org/map.php .

Breaking News

2009-03-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Melissa Etheridge endorses Earth Hour on her eco-blog

VOTE FOR THE EARTH with EARTH HOUR and LIGHTS OUT
Thank you to SFS for reminding me to make you all hip to knockin' the switch!...Read Melissa Ethridge's blog here

Breaking News

2009-02-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

World Wildlife Fund Calls on Students to Vote for Change Again
as Part of Earth Hour's Call to Action on the Climate Crisis

Major Universities and Educational Community Partners Announced
to Give Youth a Voice in the Global Climate Change Discussion

WASHINGTON-February 26, 2009-World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today unveiled new educational resources as part of its strategy to educate and engage young people about global climate change via the upcoming Earth Hour event. Earth Hour is WWF's global initiative in which tens of millions of people around the world will show support for action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. local time.

With one month until the event, WWF has already secured more than a dozen leading colleges and universities to serve as flagship campuses for Earth Hour. The institutions will participate in a variety of ways, from incorporating climate change into classroom discussions, to sending letters to elected officials via the main www.EarthHourUS.org website, to turning off the lights on their school's buildings. The list of campuses participating in Earth Hour 2009 now includes Columbia University, Howard University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, University of Miami and University of Nevada Las Vegas.

"Today's generation of young people cares passionately about the future well-being of our planet and so we are very pleased that so many campuses are signing up to take part in Earth Hour 2009," ," said Leslie Aun, WWF's vice president of media relations and managing director of Earth Hour US. "By turning out their lights for one hour, students will send a message to the world that they want action on climate change. Through the simple flick of a light switch, Earth Hour provides a way for hundreds of thousands of students, parents and educators to join with millions in casting their vote for the planet."

A number of leading educational organizations have signed on in recent weeks to support Earth Hour 2009. Groups include American Federation of Teachers, Association of Science-Technology Centers, Green Schools Alliance, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Council of 4-H, National Education Association, National Science Teachers Association, and Youth Service America. The groups have agreed to promote Earth Hour among their members, comprised of more than 12 million educators and students across the US.

WWF has also launched a second Earth Hour website just for young people, www.EarthHourKids.org, featuring age-appropriate information about climate change and the Earth Hour event with free educational materials, games and social media applications. The website also provides tips for how parents can educate their children about environmental issues, with additional resources for educators about how to incorporate the issue into their lesson plans via grade-specific teaching guides. The teaching guides, created for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, are available as free downloads from the website.

During Earth Hour 2009, lights are slated to go out on some of the most recognized landmarks on the planet including the Las Vegas Strip, St. Louis Gateway Arch, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The list of participating flagship cities in the U.S. includes Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Nashville, New York, and San Francisco, while more than 500 cities in over 75 countries have officially signed up to participate as well.

WWF officials stressed the importance of celebrating Earth Hour in a safe and secure environment by asking people to turn off non-essential lights during that hour. All lights impacting public safety will remain on, including street lights, and lights in public spaces, hospitals or for emergency services will remain on for the duration of the event. More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at www.EarthHourUS.org

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

--###--

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at www.earthhour.org/mediacentre.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world's leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

Breaking News

2009-02-09T15:57:00.000-08:00

MAYOR DEAN, JO DEE MESSINA CHALLENGE NASHVILLIANS TO 'GO DARK' FOR EARTH HOUR
- City Partners with World Wildlife Fund on Global Initiative

NASHVILLE, Tenn., February 12, 2009 - Mayor Karl Dean, recording artist Jo Dee Messina, officials from World Wildlife Fund, and dozens of local business owners and city leaders today called on all Nashvillians to make a positive statement for our environment by turning off all nonessential lights for one hour on March 28.

Earth Hour will mark the first time that Nashville's historic downtown district will intentionally go dark. WWF's global initiative aims to increase awareness about climate change and demonstrate that people from all over the world care about the issue.

2009-02-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

WWF unveils commemorative 'Vote Earth' poster by iconic Obama portrait artist Shepard Fairey

Famed portrait artist Shepard Fairey is lending support through a poster created just for the movement that asks people to “Vote Earth. Your Light Switch is Your Vote” in keeping with the message of Earth Hour.

It's less than eight weeks before the lights go out for Earth Hour 2009, and 377 cities around the world are confirmed to take part.

Click here to download your own copy of this historic poster

USA - BREAKING NEWS - NEW

80 Million Americans Vote For Action On Climate Change During World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour 2009

The Buzz Weekend Recap

Landmarks Darken Around the Globe for Earth Hour

Obama plans climate change summit

Field Report for U.N. Climate Talks in Bonn, Germany

CITY OF ANGELS JOINS MORE THAN 3,900 CITIES AROUND THE WORLD TO GO DARK FOR “EARTH HOUR L.A. 2009”

WORLD TURNS OUT FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

Hit that switch and let spotlight turn on issue of climate change

Toronto breaks its energy savings record for Earth Hour

Atlanta turns out the lights for Earth Hour

Canadians snuff out lights to usher in Earth Hour 2009

WWF France's Sixty Minutes for the Planet on Saturday March 28, 2009

Bipartisan Earth Hour Resolution Introduced in Congress

Lights dimmed on the Acropolis for Earth Hour

Metro Manila, other RP areas plunge into darkness for 1 hour

China's landmarks go dark for Earth Hour

Phillipines registers record participation

Boston buildings, landmarks to go dark tonight for Earth Hour

Earth Hour: Seattle joins hour of darkness designed to wake up the world

Turn off the lights for Earth Hour

Earth Hour returns: Organizers hoping more people drawn to conservation effort

Earth Hour 2009: Going dark for an hour tonight

How are you planning to celebrate Earth Hour Saturday night?

Lights out Saturday night!

KC Council members: Turn off your lights for Earth Hour

New York City goes dark for 1 hour to celebrate Earth Hour

Little Rock, Arkansas Gears up tp turn off lights

NEW YORK JOINS EARTH HOUR

Antarctica to Pyramids — lights dim for Earth Hour

Hong Kong goes dim one hour for better environment

"Earth Hour": lights-off for brighter future BEIJING

Sydney first major city to mark Earth Hour 2009

SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS TO SWITCH OFF LIGHTS FOR WORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR

AMERICA READY TO TURN OUT AND TAKE ACTION FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

BIPARTISAN EARTH HOUR RESOLUTION INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

PENNSYLVANIA, CALIFORNIA, ARKANSAS SIGN ON AS FIRST EARTH HOUR STATES

AMERICAN IDOL, BONES, FAMILY GUY GO DARK FOR EARTH HOUR

TUNE IN TO LARRY KING LIVE TONIGHT ON CNN

BREAKING NEWS!!!! BREAKING NEWS!!!!

GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA, ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS TO SWITCH OFF FOR WWF'S EARTH HOUR

EARTHMAN HELPS EDUCATE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

BROADWAY THEATERS DIM THEIR LIGHTS IN SUPPORT OF EARTH HOUR

THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT ON BROADWAY

NEW VIDEOS!!!!! NEW VIDEOS!!!!!

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE

BREAKING NEWS!!!! BREAKING NEWS!!!!

UN Secretary-General Urges Citizens to Join WWF's Earth Hour

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

Black Is The New Green

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA, ICONIC AMERICAN LANDMARKS TO DARKEN FOR WWF’S EARTH HOUR

1500 Cities Globally Sign up for Earth Hour

Wanna Change the World?

Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium, City Hall To Go Dark For 2nd Annual St. Louis Earth Hour Event

Breaking News

WASHINGTON D.C. TURNS OUT THE LIGHTS FORWORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR

Breaking News

MORE THAN 850 CITIES HAVE SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR 2009

Breaking News

Melissa Etheridge endorses Earth Hour on her eco-blog

Breaking News

Breaking News

WASHINGTON D.C. TURNS OUT THE LIGHTS FOR
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR