South Africa urged to support Earth Hour

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) urged all South Africans on Friday to take part in Earth Hour in 2012.

The annual initiative calls on households and businesses to switch off all their electrical appliances and lights for one hour starting at 8:30pm on Saturday.

In 2011, the country saved 350 megawatts of electricity which is enough to power Bloemfontein for an entire day.

The fund's Zubair Sayed told Eyewitness News, “This hour is a celebration of the planet and a celebration of what we can achieve when we all act together.

“Really it’s a call to action for individuals, businesses and government organisations to take urgent action for the environment.”

In 2007, WWF-Australia inspired Sydney to show their support for climate change action in the first ever Earth Hour event.

In 2008, the plan was to take Earth Hour to the rest of Australia but the City of Toronto, Canada, signed up and it was not long before 35 countries and almost 400 cities and towns took part in the annual event.

- EWN

EARTH HOUR EMBRACED BY GENERATION-NEXT

Earth Hour is seeing record numbers of children and teenagers all around the globe getting involved in the campaign to take action for a sustainable future. From Libya to Swaziland and India to Singapore, Earth Hour is being celebrated and in some cases organised by youths who want to protect the planet.

“We have a lot to learn from the passion, commitment and knowledge of young people who are making a difference to the planet – these are truly the most inspiring stories ,” said Andy Ridley, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Earth Hour.

Earth Hour’s youngest Ambassador, 13-year-old Wildlife Warrior, Bindi Irwin, firmly believes that each and every one of us can make a difference.“The footprints you leave on the planet today, will effect generations to come, your children and grandchildren,” she says.

“We must all work together to make this world a better place, to ensure that our future is a bright one. WWF’s Earth Hour is a great way to get involved and start making a change. If we don’t start changing our ways soon, there will be nothing left for my generation, and the generations after me.”

This year, more than ever, many in ‘generation-next’ are rolling up their sleeves and taking on the challenges of Earth Hour themselves.

Just months after the end of the uprising, two youths have teamed up to organise Libya’s first ever Earth Hour celebrations. Despite continued civil unrest, Mohammad Nattah (18) and Muhammad Bugashata (20) are determined to see the lights switched off in the former King’s Castle in Tripoli, “Libya is ready for Earth Hour 2012,” Bugashata said.

Meanwhile, over in Swaziland, 16-year old Nathi Mzileni has organised his country’s Earth Hour response all by himself, persuading Big Game Parks to participate in an I Will If You Will challenge, and garnering the support of Swaziland’s biggest newspaper to promote Earth Hour. He’s also enlisted the backing of three government departments.

“I am only young. But I believe that we have to work together to make things happen to make this world a better place,” he said.

Across the other side of the globe in Canada, the Green Team at Shawinigan High School have made a video to raise awareness for Earth Hour. And ten post-secondary schools from across Alberta have a friendly rivalry to see which can sign up the greatest number of students to participate on March 31.

Indian teenagers will be partying for Earth Hour at the huge MTV Unplugged event to be held at India Gate Lawns in the heart of New Delhi. At 8.30pm the lights of the iconic India Gate will be switched off and the concert will be powered by alternative sources of energy, including pedal power.

One of Earth Hour’s youngest supporters is seven-year-old Sheryl Ng from Singapore. The youngster has pledged if she can convince 100 people to switch off all their lights for one hour, she will step up on stage at her school and give a speech about Earth Hour in front of 1000 students.

But the last word belongs to legendary Dr Seuss character, the Lorax, who has promised to turn his moustache green for a whole day on 31 March, if 500 children promise to switch their lights off for Earth Hour.

According to The Lorax: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

Earth Hour has grown from a one-city initiative in 2007, to a 5,251 city strong global movement, last year reaching 1.8 billion people in 135 countries across all seven continents.

Earth Hour 2012 will take place at 8.30pm – 9.30pm on Saturday 31 March Watch the 2012

- Earth Hour

Earth Hour 2012 Official Video

This Earth Hour 2012: 8.30pm, Saturday 31 March, celebrate your action for the planet with the people of world by switching off your lights for an hour, then go beyond the hour.

From its inception as a single-city initiative -- Sydney, Australia - in 2007, Earth Hour has grown into a global symbol of hope and movement for change. Earth Hour 2011 created history as the world's largest ever voluntary action with people, businesses and governments in 135 countries across every continent coming together to celebrate an unambiguous commitment to the one thing that unites us all -- the planet.

Switch off tomorrow for Earth Hour

GEORGE NEWS - At 20:30 tomorrow, Saturday, 31 March millions of people across the globe will switch off their lights for one hour to support Earth Hour.

The largest environmental event in history, Earth Hour is organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and aims to raise awareness of climate change and unite the Earth's population to take action.

It's a reminder to us all that we only have one planet Earth; and it's an urgent message that we want to reduce the impact our energy systems have on our planet.

Earth Hour sees people and organisations from all walks of life turn off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness around the need to take action on climate change.

The first Earth Hour was held in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2 000 businesses took a stand against climate change.

Last year, 135 countries switched off their lights, including iconic buildings and landmarks in London, Sydney, America and across the Asia Pacific. This year, the WWF hopes to set a new record - but they need your help.

First world countries that have a smaller carbon footprint than South Africa have been taking the lead in this venture. It is not the government that has to take the lead here, it is the responsibility of every citizen to take the lead and set the example.
The problem here is that specific regions are suffering from pollution due to large coal burning power stations; and ESCOM is planning to build another three, one of which will be the world's largest.

One hour of residential blackout will lessen the load on our power grid.

- George Herald