Nanaimo will once again join the world in turning off unnecessary lights and electronic equipment for Earth Hour.
The annual event happens Saturday (March 29) 8:30-9:30 p.m. when the world turns off its lights for one hour to show it’s possible to take action against climate change.
Last year, more than 7,000 cities, hundreds of landmarks and millions of people participated, which included more than 10 million people in more than 270 Canadian cities.
This year, the City of Nanaimo continues its support to raise awareness about what all of us can do, no matter how small, to save energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions and show how everyday actions, like turning off unnecessary lights, add up to make a big difference.
Environmental responsibility is one of the four pillars of Nanaimo's Corporate Strategic Plan, so the City of Nanaimo challenges its staff to reduce energy consumption where possible during work hours. For Earth Hour, lights will be dimmed at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre and city hall.
Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a campaign on climate change and has grown every year with more than 7,000 cities and hundreds of millions of people participating.
During Earth Hour 2013, British Columbians saved 136 megawatt hours of electricity, equivalent to switching off more than 10 million 12.5-watt LED light bulbs. Nanaimo residents reduced their power consumption by 5.3 per cent.
To learn more, please visit the Earth Hour website at www.earthhour.org.