See Results in the Dark: Turning Out the Lights for Good

 “The Beyond the Hour call to action has been unanimously answered by people worldwide,” said Andy Ridley, Co-Founder and Executive Director of WWF’s Earth Hour. “From school children in Singapore, to Heads of State from the UK, to Australia, Pakistan and Colombia, people have shown that Earth Hour has evolved beyond lights-out.  We hear from the United Kingdom, Vietnam, the Pacific and the Americas.

Cameron backs ‘Earth Hour’ blackout (21 March 2011):

David Cameron has backed an hour-long blackout to raise awareness of environmental issues.

The UK Prime Minister recorded a YouTube message supporting Saturday’s Earth Hour, when millions of people are expected to switch off lights for 60 minutes.

He said: “Sharing responsibility holds the key to fighting climate change.”

Mr Cameron pledged to make the coalition Britain’s “greenest-ever government” in the fight against climate change.

But he added: “It will be the choices we make as individuals which will mean the difference between success and failure.

“That’s what Earth Hour is all about – millions of people all over the world coming together to switch off their lights, tackle climate change and protect our natural world.

“It is a huge symbol of global solidarity, an inspiring display of international commitment.”

Homes, businesses and landmarks in 130 countries are expected to switch off lights for an hour from 8.30pm in Saturday.

Environmental pressure group WWF’s head of campaigns, Colin Butfield, said: “It’s great to hear the Prime Minister reiterate an ambition to lead the UK’s greenest-ever government. There is substantial and serious work to do if this aspiration is to become a genuine reality.

“The millions of people taking part in Earth Hour are not only demonstrating their personal commitment, but also sending a strong message to government to call for urgent and sustainable action on climate change.”

Source: www.google.com

Report from WWF Vietnam ( 29 March 2011):

VN saves 400,000 kWh of power during Earth Hour

Vietnam saved 400,000 kWh of electricity, equivalent to VND500 million (US$23,809), by switching off lights during the Earth Hour, from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 26, according to the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).

The campaign took place in 30 provinces and cities nation wide.

In the central province of Thua Thien-Hue , the centre of Vietnam’s 2011 Earth Hour campaign, a 60-minute art performance was held in Nghinh Luong Dinh in Hue city under the light of candles.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong, and Tran Minh Hien, Director of WWF Vietnam attended the event.

Thousands of local people and visitors at the central coastal city of Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province, gathered at the April 2 square to participate Earth Hour 2011.

Politburo member and Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Khanh Hoa provincial Party Secretary Le Thanh Quang were among others to attend the event.

Addressing the function, Phuc called all people throughout the country to respond Earth Hour in particular and take actions to protect the environment in general, asking international environmental organizations to continue to support and help Vietnam in environmental related issues.

In Hanoi, during one-hour, lighting equipments in such places as Ngoc Son temple-The Huc bridge, the Opera House, Trang Tien Plaza, Vincom City Towers were turned off in response to Earth Hour.

The action also expressed the capital city’s strong commitment to joining common efforts to cope with climate change.

Lights in such localities as Vung Tau city, the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ca Mau city of the southern province of Ca Mau, Ha Long city, Uong Bi and Mong Cai towns in the northern province of Quang Ninh, the northern city of Hai Phong and Thanh Hoa city of the northern Thanh Hoa province were switched off in response to the Earth Hour campaign.

The Earth Hour, launched by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), was first held in Sydney, Australia in 2007 with two million participated people turning off lights. In 2010, 128 countries joined the campaign.

Themed “Turning off the lights in 60 minutes, taking actions in 365 days for climate change,” WWF wanted to warn people that activities to protect the environment do not take place in only one hour but also in 365 days throughout the year in an attempt to bring positive changes to the environment.

The Vietnam Earth Hour, jointly held by the WWF in Vietnam and the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, was first organized in Hanoi in 2009.

Vietnam saved 140,000 kWh of power, equivalent to VND126 million in 2009 and 500,000 kWh of power in 2010 during the Earth Hour.

Source: www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn

WWF Report:

As the lights come back on in the Cook Islands, the 134th country to celebrate Earth Hour 2011 – a record breaking year for the annual lights-out event – the global community has shown it is united in commitment to a sustainable future.

Around the world, Earth Hour was embraced by the global community, transcending race, culture, age and economics as individuals took leadership in their communities in the pursuit of a cleaner and safer planet. In 2011, Earth Hour asked the hundreds of millions of people taking part in the one hour switch-off to take the next step and go beyond the hour, using Earth Hour to commit to ongoing action for the planet.

“The Beyond the Hour call to action has been unanimously answered by people worldwide,” said Andy Ridley, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Earth Hour. “From school children in Singapore, to Heads of State from the UK, to Australia, Pakistan and Colombia, people have shown that Earth Hour has evolved beyond lights-out.

“This year’s event has illustrated without question what can be achieved when people unite with a common purpose and rally to action.”

Earth Hour 2011 gathers steam crossing Atlantic

As Earth Hour progressed towards the conclusion of the 2011 lights off event across the planet the Americas celebrated the arrival of the global movement with a breadth of lights-off events across the region. Brazil continued the stronger showing for Earth Hour in emerging economies as the wildly successful call for action on the environment continued to roll around the globe.

Hundreds of millions in thousands of cities, towns and communities in a record 134 countries were expected to have participated by the time the lights out and pledge action beyond the hour completes its passage from New Zealand on one side of the International Date Line to former New Zealand dependency the Cook Islands on the other.

Brazil set its own record with 124 cities taking part this year compared to the still creditable 98 of 2010. This included around two-thirds of the state capitals and coverage across all five Brazilian regions. More cities and towns are likely to reveal Earth Hour activities in the coming days.

Source: www.earthhour.org