Nagendra Nath Mahapatra, Honorary Advisor, Eastern Region Indian Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) has urged upon all to observe Earth Hour 2010 on March 27 from 8.30 to 9.30 in the evening. We fully endorse his version rendered below:
1. Earth Hour is a global event organized by World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature and is generally held in the last Saturday of March annually asking households and business to turn-off their non-essential lights and other technical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on Climate Change. The Earth Hour is the hour the world unites in a stand against global warming.
2. Earth Hour was conceived by WWF Australia and The Sunday Morning Herald and in March 31, 2007, 2.2 million residents of Sydney participated by switching off their lights and electrical appliances for an hour from 7.30 PM to 8.30 PM local time.
3. This innovative action has captured the imagination of people of 400 cities in 36 countries across the world and 50 million people switched off lights and appliances from 8 PM to 9 PM local time on 29.03.2008 to observe “Earth Hour, 2008”.
4. The “Earth Hour, 2009” was observed from 8.30 PM to 9.30 PM local time on March 28, 2009 in 88 countries and 4088 cities across the World where one billion people participated. As Earth Hour has grown from a one-city initiative in 2007 to a global phenomenon in 2009, renowned icons, including the Great Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, Christ the Redeemer statute, Buckingham Palace, Beijing’s Olympic Stadium and many more world-famous landmarks have joined the global community in showing leadership on a resolution to climate change.
5. In India five million people in 56 Indian cities participated and saved 1000 MW of demand for power during that one hour where the contribution of Delhi was significant of about 600 MW.
From the icons of history like Qutub Minar, Red Fort, and Humanyun’s Tomb and Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus to the symbols of modern India hotels, cinema complexes and shopping malls-several switched off. Connaught Place in Delhi and Brigade Road in Banglore offered a unique visual spectacle with just the essential lights turned on. 100 top public and private sector organizations participated. Reserve Bank of India, Infosys, Wipro, ICICI, Google, Indian Hotels, HSBC, Standard Chartered India, HP, ITCWelcomgroup, HUDCO, Taj group of hotels and PVR. to name a few.
Amir Khan-nation’s popular youth icon as the Brand Ambassador and cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble also supported the campgain. Hundreds of educational institutions including IITs, IIMs,MICA, Jamia Milia Islamia, JNU among several youth groups took ownership of the campaign to help make it a success from Cochin to Gangtok and Dehradun to Bhubaneswar.6. At the initiative of IISD, the “Earth Hour, 2009” was observed in Odisha mostly in towns, municipalities & NAC areas and the saving in Evening Peak Demand was from 100 MW to 48 MW averaging of saving of about 75 MW during that one hour of observance.
7. In July, 2009 Earth Hour’s Vote Earth campaign releases the Vote Earth symbol calling on citizens of the world to show their vote for Earth over Global warming. In December, 2009 Global awareness of climate change soars to unprecedented levels during an historic meeting of 192 nations at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. Vote Earth campaign culminates on 16th December with Earth Hour Copenhagen.
8. “Earth Hour, 2010” will be held on Saturday March 27 at 8.30 PM to 9.30 PM in 4000 cities & towns across the world switching off their lights for one hour-Earth Hour sending a powerful message that it’s possible to take action on global warming. It will let world leaders know the world is still watching, following the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen in 2009 which leaves room for a better deal.
9. Here are10 different ways you can support “Earth Hour, 2010” & reduce your carbon footprint.
1). Turning of your lights at 8.30 PM on March 27.
2). Showing your support and adding yourself to the list of global citizens caring the Mother Earth.
3). Talking about Earth Hour in your social network by updating your Facebook status, grabbing a Twibbon, tweeting about your support and more.
4). Get together with your friends and family, by hosting an Earth Hour party.
5). Rally your local council or community group to run an Earth Hour event for your community/group.
6). Make an Earth Hour Lantern as a symbol of hope for the future.
7). Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight.
8). Sit in the Dark and share stories.
9). Gather family & friends for a night picnic in your local park and gaze at the stars.
10). Be creative, Find a new way to mark “Earth Hour, 2010”.EARTH HOUR-2010, JAI HO.