1. What is
Earth Hour?
Earth
Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement uniting people to protect the planet,
and is organised by WWF. Engaging a massive mainstream community on a broad
range of environmental issues, Earth Hour was famously started as a lights-off
event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then it has grown to engage more than
7000 cities and towns worldwide, and the one-hour event continues to remain the
key driver of the now larger movement.
2. What is
Earth Hour Blue?
Earth
Hour Blue is an all-new digital crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform for the
planet launched in 2014 to capture the power of the crowd and engage people
around the world beyond the lights out event. The crowdfunding section of the
platform allows participants to financially support and deliver positive,
tangible changes to the environment and communities all over the world.
Individuals can also use Earth Hour Blue’s crowdsourcing platform, which will
call for people to add their voice to some of the biggest environmental
campaigns across the world.
3. When
does Earth Hour take place?
Earth
Hour 2015 will be held on Saturday 28 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your
local time zone. The event is held worldwide towards the end of March annually,
encouraging individuals, communities households and businesses to turn off
their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the
planet.
4. What
does Earth Hour aim to achieve?
Earth
Hour aims to encourage an interconnected global community to share the
opportunities and challenges of creating a sustainable world.
5. What
does Earth Hour ask people to do?
The
first thing anyone can do to get involved is to turn off their lights on
Saturday. But there is much, much more. Our full ambition is for people to take
action beyond the hour. Whether it’s supporting a crowdfunding or crowdsourcing
campaign onwww.earthhour.org or
getting involved in Earth Hour campaigns in their own country, or starting the
movement in their own community. The vision is always to do more, so make the
light switch the beginning of your journey.
6. How long
has Earth Hour been going for?
The
first Earth Hour event was on March 31 2007. WWF-Australia inspired
Sydney-siders to show their support for climate change action. More than 2.2
million individuals and 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour
in the first Earth Hour event.
Earth
Hour 2015 will mark the ninth year of the campaign.
7. Is Earth
Hour an annual event?
Earth
Hour is more than an annual event – it is a movement that culminates in an hour
of inspiration across the world held towards the end of March each year.
8. What exactly
has Earth Hour achieved before launching Earth Hour Blue?
o
WWF Uganda started the world’s first Earth Hour
Forest
o
More than 250,000 Russians voiced support for
better protection of their country’s seas and forests
o
Argentina used its 2013 Earth Hour campaign to help
pass a Senate bill for a 3.4 million hectare Marine Protected Area in the
country
o
Thousands of wood-saving stoves were distributed to
families in Madagascar
o
Solar-powered lights were installed in three
villages without electricity in India
o
In Paraguay, WWF used the Earth Hour platform to
build public support to gain an extension of the logging moratorium, helping to
reduce deforestation
o
Education programs for schools were launched in
Thailand and Taiwan
o
Hundreds of thousands of LED lights were installed
by girl scouts in the USA
o
More than 2123 mitigation actions submitted by
Earth Hour City Challenge 2014 participating cities
But
this is just the start, there are so many more Earth Hour stories out there
we’re still discovering, and of course much more to do.
9. Back to
the event. Isn't switching the lights off dangerous? What about public safety?
Earth
Hour only asks people to turn off the non-essential lights for one hour - not
lights that affect public safety. Earth Hour is also a celebration of the
planet so it’s important to enjoy the moment in a safe environment.
10. What
lights can be safely switched off?
That
is a decision that has to be made individually but usually the overhead lights
in rooms (whether it is your house or a business), outdoor lighting that does
not impact safety, decorative lights, neon signs for advertising, televisions,
desk lamps, the list goes on and on.
There
are a few lights we can say with certainty that should NOT be turned off,
including safety lights in public spaces, lights for aviation guidance, traffic
lights, security lights, just to name a few. We ask people to use common sense.
Before you turn off any lights for public spaces, Earth Hour recommends you
check with local officials or community centres.
In
your own home, use common sense with respect to safety. Keep small night lights
on for basic safety especially in halls and on stairs. Make sure you have
alternative light sources handy before Earth Hour starts, like torches or
flashlights. That way if you need to see, you have a light source close at
hand, and you can still respect the spirit of Earth Hour and keep yourself and
your family safe.
11. What
candles should I use for my Earth Hour event?
If you
plan on burning candles during Earth Hour, make sure you use 100% beeswax
candles or soy candles, which are gentler on our planet - smoke free, non-toxic
and non-allergenic. They are also made of natural products, not petroleum-based
materials, so they are effectively carbon neutral (the CO2 they emit has
already been taken from the atmosphere to produce the wax). Many communities
are now replacing candles with LED lights for their event, as a way to promote
energy efficient lighting - a key for any sustainable future. If you're using
candles, though, make sure you take care. We suggest you carefully follow these
tips:
a. Candles
should only be used under adult supervision
b. Candles
should never be left unattended
c. Candles
should be kept away from children and pets
d. Extinguish
candles before going to sleep
e. Keep
candles away from flammable liquids and gas-combustible materials
f.
Candles should be kept clear of any combustible
materials such as paper, curtains and clothing
g. Candles
should not be placed in windows as they can be blown over. Blinds and curtains
can also catch alight
h. Candles
should be placed on a stable, dry, heat-resistant surface away from drafts
12. What is
Earth Hour’s position on technology?
Earth
Hour embraces technology to spread the message of positive environmental action
across the world, and to replace more inefficient means of living our lives.
Technology is key to a sustainable future that is aspirational. From LED
lights, to hybrid vehicles, to developing replacements for unsustainable use of
resources - Earth Hour has thrived off the back of the development in
digital technology.
13. Will my
city go completely black during the event?
Earth
Hour is not a black out. It is a voluntary action by its participants to show
their commitment to an act of change that benefits the planet. For many
businesses in city skyscrapers or for many government buildings, the lights are
turned off at the end of the business day the Friday before Earth Hour. So
Earth Hour is more of a fade-out in some ways than a black out. There is
usually no instant dramatic difference, but rather a gradual dimming of lights
starting the day prior. Many major icons and neon signs are switched off for
the hour and they are extremely noticeable. You may be able to see dramatic
changes in large business districts or at iconic landmarks and buildings around
the world and in your city.
14. If
everyone turns their lights back on at the same time will there be a power
surge?
People
celebrate Earth Hour in a variety of ways for different lengths of time, with
many continuing to keep their lights off well beyond the designated hour. After
eight years, it’s clear everyone will not switch back on his or her lights
simultaneously.
15. Why is
Earth Hour the event held in late March?
The
second-to-last and 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’ event. Earth Hour 2015
will be held on Saturday 28 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time
zone.
16. How many
cities/countries/landmarks took part in Earth Hour 2013?
Earth Hour 2013 took
place in more than 7001 cities and towns in 154 countries and territories
across all seven continents. Hundreds of millions of people switched their
lights off for an hour, and the campaign experienced its biggest growth since
2009. There were around 3395 landmarks that participated.
17. What
does a commitment to Earth Hour mean?
By
registering for Earth Hour 2015, individuals, communities and businesses are
making a commitment to turn their lights off for an hour at 8.30PM on Saturday
28 March in acknowledgement of an act they will undertake for the benefit of
the planet. We hope that these individuals, communities and businesses will
take action beyond the hour through Earth Hour Blue.
18. Who can
participate?
Earth
Hour is a campaign for anyone and everyone who wants to share a commitment to
make this planet better.
19. How can
I do more for Earth Hour than just switching off my lights?
You
can fund a project or add your voice to support projects
anywhere around the world on Earth Hour Blue.
20. What
energy/carbon reductions have resulted from Earth Hour in previous years?
Earth
hour does not claim that the event is an energy or carbon reduction exercise -
it is a symbolic action. Therefore, we do not engage in the measurement of
energy or carbon reduction levels. 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 provides real solutions to our environmental challenges. Participation in
Earth Hour symbolises a commitment to change beyond the hour.
21. Aren't
you using a lot of electricity and resources to promote this event?
Earth
Hour takes every effort to minimise our footprint, not just for the hour but
also all year round. Earth Hour Global has a core team of just nine people
based in Singapore and relies on a dispersed open-sourced model, meaning that
the movement is run locally through WWF and communities all over the world.
All of
Earth Hour Global’s emissions are offset and the campaign embraces digital
technology to minimise the usage of natural resources and to spread our
message.
22. Earth
Hour is advertised all over the world. Does Earth Hour pay for this
advertising?
Earth
Hour Global secures millions of dollars of free advertising space with the help
of partners such as Starcom, Discovery Networks International and many others.
Earth Hour Global does not spend any money on paid advertising space. Earth
Hour’s advice to teams around the world running local campaigns is to only seek
either pro-bono or if absolutely necessary, low-bono advertising space.
23. Whose
idea was Earth Hour?
Earth
Hour came from a think tank initiated by Earth Hour CEO and Co-Founder, Andy
Ridley, resulting in the formation of a partnership between WWF Australia, Leo
Burnett and Fairfax Media to address the climate change issue.
In
2007, there was still a degree of scepticism and denial about the issue of
climate change. Earth Hour came as the inspiration to rally people to the reality
of climate change and start a dialogue about what we as individuals can do to
help address the greatest problem facing our planet today. Leo Burnett
partnered with WWF to promote the idea and help make the campaign a reality in
Sydney, a campaign which has now gone beyond climate change to symbolise the
growing global pursuit of a better, healthier world.
24. What is
Earth Hour’s relationship with WWF?
Earth
Hour is an initiative of WWF. In 2007, WWF initiated Earth Hour as a way of
engaging a broad section of society in the environmental issues challenging
citizens across the world. WWF embraced the idea of an open sourced campaign
that would allow communities and organisations to become part of a global
movement to protect out planet.
25. Do you
have requirements or regulations about who can or cannot partner with Earth
Hour?
Any
partner must uphold and support the aims and principles of Earth Hour. These include
encouraging individual and community engagement on environmental issues.
Encouraging conscious decisions to change the way we live in order to affect
environmental reform, without the use of scare tactics or shaming. The specific
decisions about whether or not to partner with a group or corporation are made
at local level by Earth Hour country and city teams based on what suits their
needs and community in achieving the goals of Earth Hour.
26. Does
Earth Hour welcome the support of other NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) and
NFP's (Not for Profits)?
Absolutely.
In fact, the success of Earth Hour would not be possible without the support of
other NGOs and NFPs. Global organisations such as the World Organisation of the
Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts have
been pivotal in spreading the Earth Hour message, while in some countries where
there is no WWF presence, Earth Hour campaigns are orchestrated entirely by
other NGOs and NFPs.
27. What
does the Earth Hour logo mean?
The
standard Earth Hour '60' logo represents the 60 minutes of Earth Hour where we
focus on the impact we are having on our planet and take positive action to
address the environmental issues we face. For Earth Hour 2011 the ‘60+’ logo
was introduced representing a commitment to add to Earth Hour a positive act
for the planet that goes beyond the hour. Take up the ‘plus’ and get involved
with Earth Hour Blue.
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