On Saturday, March 29, Earth Hour is taking place from 8-9 p.m.
Earth Hour is global initiative. Businesses and households are turning off their lights for one hour. This global act delivers a powerful message that everyone can contribute and make a difference to address climate change.
Cities and towns around the world, across Canada and in Ontario are taking part in this event. The Ontario government is participating and will turn off non-emergency lights in provincial buildings. The province is encouraging all Ontario families, municipalities and businesses to join in this unique global event.
“The Ontario government is proud to promote and participate in Earth Hour,” said Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This is a great opportunity to show that we can all be leaders in protecting our environment. We can all make small changes in our lives to promote energy conservation.”
The province has already taken steps to fight climate change and reduce electricity consumption. In 2004, the government set a target to reduce electricity use by 10 per cent within three years, and by 2007, a 12 per cent reduction was achieved. These savings allow further conservation efforts and the goal is to have a 20 per cent total reduction by 2012.
For more information on how to get involved in Earth Hour, please see www.earthhour.org.
