Calling all people who care about the environment! Earth Hour 2009 is tonight — and we are asking everyone to show solidarity and cast a vote for the earth by simply turning off their lights at 8:30 P.M., local time wherever you are. Cities across the world are participating — if you live in the US, you can find out more information at www.earthhourus.org. Otherwise, check out www.earthhour.org. Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007 where 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. This year, the campaign has been taken to the global level to show officials at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen how much this issue matters to all global citizens.
Read on to find out more about Sydney’s 2009 Earth Hour — and please leave a comment or post your own experience below! We’ll be updating inhabitat with our various earth hour experiences all over the globe, so check back here to see more Earth Hour reportage later tonight!
Inhabitat writer, Jorge Chapa, writes from Sydney:
Here in Sydney, the lights went out at precisely 8:30p.m. The Sydney ferries honked the arrival of Earth Hour; the Sydney Opera House turned off its lights; and the Harbour bridge went dark. I had the pleasure of seeing Sydney from 47 levels above the city, at a candlelit party. It was a sight to see all the buildings slowly turned off their lights — the floors going dark, and for a little while you could see how the city’s inhabitants were making a difference and “voting for Earth.” Earth Hour was created in Sydney and its residents certainly showed their support. At the candlelit party, we talked about the initiative — with an awareness that even a few years would have been inconceivable.
I’ve had the pleasure of going through three Earth Hour events. It is a simple even that I hope I can keep being a part of for years to come.
+ Earth Hour 2009
all photos images courtesy of Earth Hour 2009
