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Earth Hour
The
lights may be out, but the spotlights will be on ways to
reduce carbon emissions when residents across Mount Gambier
join in the global Earth Hour this weekend.
Pioneered
in Sydney in 2007 as a stand against climate change, in just
four years Earth Hour has become a global mass movement
uniting hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
The
global hour of darkness will take place on all seven
continents, with all G20 countires, thousands of cities and
iconic landmarks set to join with hundreds of millions of
people across the world to celebrate action to protect the
environment.
Making a
difference on a local level, businesses, schools and
households will be joining in by switching off all
non-essential lighting, appliances and signs in stores,
restaurants and homes for one hour.
As part
of Earth Hour at 8:30pm on Saturday night, Mount Gambier
City Council will also be turning off its lights at
locations across the city including the Centenary Tower and
Vansittart Park, as a major step towards reducing the city’s
greenhouse gas pollution.
Mount Gambier City Council Environmental Sustainability
Officer, Mrs Anna Lambden said the event
is a
chance for individuals to get involved and save power at
home and across the city to help make a positive difference
to the world.
“Each of us has a part to play, and the actions we take in
our own lives, our own households, our own neighbourhoods,
schools
and workplaces are important.”
“The
Earth Hour campaign will send a powerful message to the
world that it’s possible to work together to make a massive
contribution to reducing the effect of global warming,” Mrs
Lambden said.
Mrs
Lambden is also encouraging all cafés and restaurants to
take part by offering patrons the chance to reduce their
impact on the environment and dine by candlelight
Among
those also taking part will be Mount Gambier youngster
Maggie Cole and her family.
The young
environmentalist said she was looking forward to doing her
bit and turning out the lights to help the environment.
In
preparation for the evening Maggie told the Border Watch she
wasn’t scared of the dark as she had been eating lots of
carrots to help her see when the lights are switched off.
In 2010
hundreds of millions of people across the world, in 4,616
cities, in 128 countries and territories took part in Earth
Hour, but switching off the lights was only the beginning.
This year Earth
 Hour
is asking people to go beyond the hour, and use Earth Hour
to commit to an action, big or small, that they will sustain
for the future of our planet.
In
preparation for the weekend event, schools from across the
South East will be turning Earth Hour into a long-term
project.
Among
those taking up the challenge will be students from Tenison
Woods College who will today be shutting off all
non-essential electrical items for the afternoon of classes
including lights, air conditioning and heating, audio-visual
equipment, printers, photocopiers and computer equipment
where possible.
With
teachers moving outside for the afternoon to use the
outdoors as a living classroom, Tenison Woods College
teacher Michelle Coote said Earth Hour was a perfect time to
talk with students about the environment.
“It’s a
great opportunity for students to take positive actions that
will make a difference in our planets future and why we need
to protect our planet from the dangers of climate change.”
”Participating in Earth Hour is just the first step on an
important journey for us all to become sustainable and
energy efficient,” Ms Coote said.
To find out more about Earth Hour,
Mount Gambier residents and businesses can visit the
official website
www.earthhour.org
to pledge their support.
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