Sustainability @ the
University of Rochester

Support Earth Hour

March 2010

Last year, hundreds of millions of people in 4,000 cities in 87 countries on all seven continents turned off their lights for Earth Hour.  Iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, and even the Las Vegas Strip went dark. 

This year, on Saturday March 27 at 8:30 p.m., Earth Hour will once again sweep across the world, from one time zone to the next. You can show your support by turning off the lights in your home from 8:30 to 9:30 this Saturday.  If you’re at work and cannot turn out all the lights (like those of us who work in the Medical Center), try to turn out any unnecessary lights.

Remember, if you’re in a University building, the use of candles is not permitted. 

Though this may seem like a purely symbolic act, it is a powerful one.  Last year in the United States alone, 80 million people participated in Earth Hour, and those are numbers that cannot be ignored.  So if you support action on climate change and it’s possible for you, then turn out your lights this year for Earth Hour, and encourage your friends, coworkers, and family to do the same.

Earth Hour is an initiative led by the World Wildlife Fund that allows people to show their support for action on climate change. For more information on Earth Hour, please visit: www.earthhour.org.