Earth Hour is a global grassroots movement encouraging individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take positive actions for the environment, and to celebrate their commitment to the planet by switching off their lights for one designated hour. It is a platform encouraging entities to join an interconnected global community engaged in dialogue and resource-sharing that generate real solutions to environmental challenges.
When does Earth Hour take place?
Earth Hour has been celebrated on the last Saturday of March every year since 2007. The last weekend of March is around the time of the spring and autumn equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively, which allows for near coincidental sunset times in both hemispheres, thereby ensuring the greatest visual impact for a global lights-out campaign.
Earth Hour in India in 2013
The Earth Hour for this year is going to be held on this Saturday, March 29, from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm.
IN KOLKATA
In Kolkata, as part of an Earth Hour campaign to
encourage positive action for the environment, a music concert has been
organised on March 29, 2014 on the river Hooghly on Naharkatiya – a
floating platform adjacent to Millennium Park.
All of the
ornamental lights on Howrah Bridge, one of the iconic landmarks in
India, Vidyasagar Setu (Second Hoogly Bridge) and Samriddhi Bhavan
(State Bank of India head office) will be switched off during the Earth
Hour as background setting.
In support of Earth Hour and
promotion of renewable energy, the group Bandage has agreed to perform
during the Earth Hour between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm, followed by a dinner
cruise.
Musical events will start from 6 pm with The High Crook and Yidam.
Who can participate?
Anyone and everyone!
Anyone who wants to unite with the global community in a worldwide celebration of the planet; everyone who believe a solution to our environmental challenges is possible through the aggregation of our actions.
Earth Hour campaign
What energy/carbon reductions have resulted from Earth Hours in previous years?
Earth Hour does not purport to be an energy/carbon reduction exercise; it is a symbolic action.
Earth Hour is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and engage in dialogue and resource- exchange that provide real solutions to our environmental challenges.
Participation in Earth Hour symbolises a commitment to change beyond the hour.
Go beyond the hour to make a commitment to an act of ongoing change that
benefits the planet. There are limitless things you can do on top of
switching off your lights to take Earth Hour beyond the hour.
Get
creative and spread the word! Earth Hour is completely open-source so
do anything and everything you can to spread Earth Hour’s message of
change for the benefit of the planet.
Earth Hour empowers
individuals and businesses with a platform to show leadership in
environmental solutions by adopting and encouraging sustainable
lifestyle habits and business practices.
Why should you participate?
In India, 30% of the total population lives in cities, and in the next 50 years this would rise to 800 million. Worldwide, 50% of the population already lives in cities and this is expected to touch 70% by 2050. The global footprint for cities accounts for 70% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, and if we continue on this path of growth, we will seriously jeopardise the future of our planet. There is an opportunity in this crisis, to reconsider the urban development plans of cities and invest in the creation of sustainable cities that can support these growing populations without severely impacting the planet’s health.
