Earth Hour
Hundreds of millions of people, businesses and governments around the world unite each year to support the largest environmental event in history – Earth Hour.
More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour 2011 alone, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. "Earth Hour is a bit like an environmental New Year, providing a chance to reflect on how our planet is faring and what we can do to help. That moment of reflection is the heart of Earth Hour," says WWF CEO, Gerald Butts. "For us at WWF, Earth Hour is a unique opportunity to facilitate these reflections for a phenomenal number of people around the world."
In 2012 millions of voices will come together again on Saturday March 31 between 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM.
More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour 2011 alone, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. "Earth Hour is a bit like an environmental New Year, providing a chance to reflect on how our planet is faring and what we can do to help. That moment of reflection is the heart of Earth Hour," says WWF CEO, Gerald Butts. "For us at WWF, Earth Hour is a unique opportunity to facilitate these reflections for a phenomenal number of people around the world."
In 2012 millions of voices will come together again on Saturday March 31 between 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM.
Why Get Involved?
Put simply, because our future depends on it!
There are a multitude of things that divide people: gender, nationality, race, political and religious beliefs to name a few. But when it comes to fighting climate change, it doesn’t matter who we are or where we’re from – we’re all on the same team.
That’s important to understand, because to combat an issue as big as climate change, the planet needs us all. And the more people that work together, the more achievable that daunting task will become.
Earth Hour has done a lot to raise awareness of sustainability issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s all about giving people a voice and working together to create a better future for our planet. It has ushered in a new era with participants going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, it’s shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.
There are a multitude of things that divide people: gender, nationality, race, political and religious beliefs to name a few. But when it comes to fighting climate change, it doesn’t matter who we are or where we’re from – we’re all on the same team.
That’s important to understand, because to combat an issue as big as climate change, the planet needs us all. And the more people that work together, the more achievable that daunting task will become.
Earth Hour has done a lot to raise awareness of sustainability issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s all about giving people a voice and working together to create a better future for our planet. It has ushered in a new era with participants going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, it’s shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.
WWF and Earth Hour
Earth Hour is organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In 2006, WWF-Australia inspired Sydney-siders to show their support for climate change action in the first ever Earth Hour event. It showed that everyone, from children to CEOs and politicians, has the power to change the world they live in.
Then in March 2007 in Sydney, Australia, 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour to take a stand against climate change for WWF’s official Earth Hour launch.
In 2008, the plan was to take Earth Hour to the rest of Australia. But Canada’s own City of Toronto was the first to sign up and it wasn’t long before 35 countries and almost 400 cities and towns followed suit. It said something compelling to the world: that the climate challenges facing our planet are so significant that change needs to be global.
With the invitation to ‘switch off’ extended to everyone, WWF’s Earth Hour quickly became an annual global event. It’s scheduled on the last Saturday of every March – closely coinciding with the equinox to ensure most cities are in darkness as it rolled out around the Earth.
Then in March 2007 in Sydney, Australia, 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour to take a stand against climate change for WWF’s official Earth Hour launch.
In 2008, the plan was to take Earth Hour to the rest of Australia. But Canada’s own City of Toronto was the first to sign up and it wasn’t long before 35 countries and almost 400 cities and towns followed suit. It said something compelling to the world: that the climate challenges facing our planet are so significant that change needs to be global.
With the invitation to ‘switch off’ extended to everyone, WWF’s Earth Hour quickly became an annual global event. It’s scheduled on the last Saturday of every March – closely coinciding with the equinox to ensure most cities are in darkness as it rolled out around the Earth.