On Saturday evening, Mumbai will be among more than 5,000 cities across the world to observe Earth Hour by switching off lights between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.
On Saturday evening, Mumbai will be among more than 5,000 cities across the world to observe Earth Hour by switching off lights in a symbolic gesture for environmental conservation. And, it won’t be just landmarks, such as the Gateway of India, which will be plunged into darkness. Housing colonies, business establishments and even 5-star hotels in the city will switch off lights on their premises between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.
“Earth Hour 2012 aims to encourage cities to collectively shift towards sustainable development and to urge citizens to reduce the growing environmental impact of urban lifestyles,” said Ravi Singh, CEO of the Indian chapter of the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature.
Earth Hour is observed all over the globe on the last Saturday of March every year between 8.30pm and 9.30pm local time. Global landmarks such as Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Colosseum in Rome stand in darkness year after year to support the cause for a greener planet.
Environmentalists point out that the initiative has seen an encouraging response over the five years since it was started in Sydney in partnership with WWF. According to WWF, in 2011, over 1.8 billion people across more than 5,200 cities in 135 countries had participated. In India, Earth Hour was observed in over 130 cities, small towns and villages.
“This year’s theme is ‘going beyond the hour.’ So, we will use solar lanterns to spread the message, to focus on alternative forms of energy and to save Mother Earth’s resources,” said Elsie Gabriel, founder of the Young Environmentalists Programme Trust.
City hotels, too, will be doing their bit by switching off non-essential lights and air conditioners. Some are offering candlelight dinners and organically-prepared food and drinks, while others plan to switch off all electrical appliances in the kitchen and operate solely on LPG during Earth Hour.
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