Sydney, Australia, on Earth Hour 2008. The top photo was taken before Earth Hour, and the bottom photo was taken during it. Sydney was the home of the first Earth Hour in 2007. (Photos courtesy Earth Hour)
Vote for Earth
Kids around the world plan to support the planet by switching off the lights for Earth Hour
The Earth wants your vote. And the way you cast it is by using your light switch.
On Saturday, March 28, from 8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., kids and adults around the world will observe Earth Hour with one hour of darkness. By turning off their lights, they're voting for the planet.
At least that's how the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) describes Earth Hour.
The WWF began Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a way to raise awareness about global warming. By turning off their lights for one hour, Sydneysiders conserved energy and showed that they support action against global warming.
Initially, the event was held only in Sydney. But interest spread around the world, and in 2008, between 50 million and 100 million people across the planet observed Earth Hour. This year, the WWF hopes that 1 billion people will turn off their lights for Earth Hour.
The WWF has announced that 1,189 cities in 80 countries have already committed to observing Earth Hour.
One of these cities is Paris, the City of Lights, which will turn off the lights on the Eiffel Tower. Another is Egypt's Giza, where the lights will be switched off at the Sphinx and Great Pyramids.
China and India, two of the world's fastest developing nations, have also pledged to participate in Earth Hour 2009.
China will turn off lights in all of its municipal and district government buildings, as well as in recognizable landmarks like the Shanghai World Financial Tower and the iconic Bird's Nest Stadium from the 2008 Summer Olympics. And in India, Earth Hour activities will be held in the country's biggest cities, Delhi and Mumbai, as well as in cities across the country.
"Earth Hour is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message that they want action on climate change," said United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon . "I urge citizens everywhere to join us."
If you want to participate in Earth Hour, all you have to do is turn your lights off between 8:30-9:30 p.m. on Saturday. But there are also community events happening for Earth Hour in cities across America and the world.
To find out what's happening in your area, visit the Earth Hour U.S. Web site and the global Earth Hour Web site.
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