Let’s join the world Saturday, March 23 and switch off our lights for Earth Hour.
Starting at 8:30 p.m., people around the globe will turn off their lights for 60 minutes to reduce green house gas emissions from electricity generation and create awareness about global warming.
Last year, Campbell River lowered its energy consumption by 2.46 per cent during Earth Hour, and Sayward lowered its usage by 2.39 per cent. B.C.’s overall electricity load dropped by 1.67 per cent. Revelstoke had the highest reduction in B.C. at 12. 1 per cent.
Earth Hour is an annual global event hosted by the World Wildlife Fund and supported by BC Hydro. The goal of this event is to encourage individuals to turn off unnecessary lights and electronics in an effort to conserve power.
The initiative that began in Sydney, Australia on Mar. 31, 2007 when more than two million residents turned off non-essential lights for one hour. Every year this environmental movement continues to grow, with more than 130 countries participating last year.
“In Campbell River 23 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions are produced from buildings, and one of the key targets outlined in the Community Energy and Emissions Plan is to increase home energy efficiency,” says Coun. Larry Samson. “We can conserve energy by retrofitting our homes for greater energy efficiency and taking simple steps to change our habits – like switching off the lights when we don’t need them on.”
On March 23, the city will have a booth set up at the Community Centre for the Walk Away From Racism event from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. to learn about Earth Hour.
Many BC Hydro account holders can track their energy use through “MyHydro” – an online tool at www.bchydro.com/myhydro – and compare their electricity use on the Saturday prior to Earth Hour with their actual use during Earth Hour. The new tool provides timely information on household electricity consumption.