Earth Hour 2009 – What Will You Be Doing?

Tonight at exactly 8:30, at least 538 cities in 75 countries worldwide, including the Philippines, will turn off the lights for one full hour in observance of Earth Hour, a global initiative that seeks to show everyone that it is possible to unite despite geographic distance, and take action against global warming.

Launched in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, with 2.2 million homes and businesses turning their lights off for one hour, Earth Hour had turned into a global movement by 2008, with around 50 million people in 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colosseum, and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness, and became symbols of hope for saving our environment.

In the Philippines last year, around one million Filipinos and 400 establishments, flicked their switches in observance of Earth Hour 2008, generating savings of 56 megawatts of electric power in Luzon, 16 of which were in Metro Manila. Experts say the figure is equivalent to the output of a small coal-fired power plant. Roxas Boulevard was the focal point of last year's celebration since it cuts across three major cities: Manila, Pasay, and Parañaque.

The cities of Makati, Mandaluyong and Quezon also joined the energy efficiency-promoting event.

This year, the country is positioning Earth Hour "not as a one-time event but as window to longer-term involvement in climate change response and sustainable energy programs." The country will link corporate sponsorships by national partners to the initiative of the SWITCH Movement for more efficient lighting, cleaner transport fuels and technologies for public utility jeeps and tricycles, and area-based renewable energy groundwork-setting and promotion.

Everyone is enjoined to participate in the global sign-up campaign. We are urged to "Turn out. Take Action.

Be Part of this Historic Event." Around the world, individuals, businesses, governments, and organizations will turn off their lights for one hour — Earth Hour — to make a global statement of concern about climate change whose impact cuts across all sectors and national boundaries, and to demonstrate our firm commitment to finding solutions.

It is hoped that Earth Hour 2009 will send a powerful message that will motivate the participants in the 2009 United Nations Copenhagen Climate Change Conference to commit to actions that will reduce greenhouse emissions for the short- and long-term benefit of the planet and avert disastrous impacts, especially in developing countries like the Philippines.