Earth Hour – Vote against global warming

Hestelle Robinson

Now is your chance to make a difference and cast your vote against global warming.  How?  Switch off your lights on 28 March from 8:30 – 9:30 pm as part of the international Earth Hour campaign.

2,140 cities, towns and municipalities in 82 countries have already committed to VOTE EARTH for Earth Hour 2009, as part of the worlds first global election between Earth and global warming.

What is Earth Hour

It is an initiative pioneered by WWF Australia and the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007.  In its inaugural year 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Coliseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

1 billion votes

Earth Hour is not about saving electricity. It’s much broader than that – it is a symbolic action to show governments that the people of the world want an effective global climate deal at the end of 2009.  WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

WWF South Africa is planning an exciting countrywide campaign to get 1 million dwellings and offices to turn off their lights; and 3 million South Africans to Sign Up and together take a stand against climate change. 

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the patron of Earth Hour 2009 and Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille has pledged her support for Earth Hour 2009. Major landmarks in Cape Town, such as Table Mountain, will go dark for an hour on 28 March 2009.  Other selebs who have committed to this campaign include; Ryk Neethling (who would not want to spend an hour in the dark with him?), Leon Schuster and Top Billing’s Jo-Ann Strauss.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.
VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.
 

What difference does it really make?

• Well in 2007 the effect in Sydney was similar to taking 48 000 cars off the road for an hour!  That much less greenhouse gasses were emitted.
• In 2008 some cities reported an up to 13% saving in electricity!
• 2009?  General:  It creates awareness of greenhouse gases and its impact on climate change.  Not just for this hour but also for every day.
• Add your name to the petition list and show your commitment to mother earth, make a difference a the COP15 conference.
• Planet:  Save an hour's worth of electricity, in South Africa, as in many other countries turning off lights for an hour means that hundreds of tons of coal are saved from being burned to produce electricity. This in turn means reduced emissions of carbon dioxide and less greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere.  In fact for every kWh saved we save 1 kg of C02.
• You:  Reduce your carbon footprint - Save electricity – save money:

 
What do to in the dark for an hour?

Mmmmm lots!  But here are 10 ideas:

1. Attend a local Earth Hour event or organise your own by throwing an Earth Hour braai with your neighbours
2. Gather family & friends for a night picnic - look at the stars
3. Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight
4. Organise a treasure hunt in the dark
5. Take the dog for a night walk
6. Have a candle-lit bath
7. Sit in the dark and share stories (Ghost stories work best in the dark)
8. Organise a family night playing board games
9. Share a romantic night in with your loved one
10. Nothing, go to bed early!

 
Share your experience

Upload your ‘on the night’ photos and videos to flickr and YouTube respectively, and then add them to the Earth Hour flickr group and the global YouTube Group.  Also find them on Twitter, MySpace and Facebook.

Take your first step in the right directions, its easy walk to the light switch and switch it off.
 
Sign up now! You can also do it on your mobile by logging into their mobi site or SMS your postal code to 34017. (SMS charged at R2)