Lights off this Saturday

Helen Goltz

The power of what one individual can do to make a difference has never been more relevant as it is for Earth Hour on Saturday March 29 at 8pm.

And you can do your bit and make a difference to global warming by performing a simple action – turn off your lights.

Earth Hour 2008, with its international contingent, hopes to spread the message that reducing the world’s emissions is a shared global responsibility.

Around the world, millions of people will turn off their lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

This simple act is gaining support both here at home, nationally and internationally with some of the world’s major capital cities, including Copenhagen, Toronto, Chicago, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tel Aviv switching off for Earth Hour.

Shellharbour City Council is encouraging residents to participate by turning of their lights and switching off household appliances at the power point to prevent the use of standby power.

This includes MP3 players, mobile phones, televisions, DVD players and microwaves.

In 2007, Shellharbour City Council saved 214kg of greenhouse gases during Earth Hour.

The council will also ensure all non-essential lights and computers are turned off in Council’s Administration Centre.

For safety reasons all security lights will remain on at this time.

The Earth Hour campaign was launched in Sydney last year with more than two million Sydneysiders, and 2200 Sydney businesses turning off their lights for one hour.

The campaign sent a powerful global message that it’s possible for individuals to take action on climate change.

Sydney’s energy consumption was reduced by 10.2 percent for the one hour, which is the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for one hour.

After the 2008 event, residents can continue to reduce their impact on climate change by reducing their household’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

To find out more visit www.earthhour.org and sign up.