WITH the scheduled Earth Hour 2010 on March 27, 8:30 p.m., stakeholders met Thursday to start mobilizing various sectors to participate and beat last year's Earth Hour power savings.
Last year, about 10 million Filipinos from 647 major cities and towns switched off their lights in participation of Earth Hour.
The Department of Energy noted at least 611 mwh of power saving which made Philippines ranked as number 1 in the 2009 Earth Hour.
Worldwide, over 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world's largest global climate change initiative.
This year, DOE through its Philippine Energy Efficiency and Switch Program in collaboration with the local government of Davao wishes to surpass last year's results and enjoin more Filipinos to appreciate this significant switching.
Same as the previous years, there are several ways to get involved in this event. First, they may show support by turning off lights for Earth Hour, 8:30 p.m. on March 27.
One may also add Earth Hour widgets, logos, and banners to his blog or website to help the organizers spread the word.
For organizations, they may hold a rally or run an Earth Hour event for the community.
For institutions, they may encourage employees and workers to take part in the event and make energy savings every day.
Earth Hour is organized by WWF, with almost five million supporters and a global network in over 100 countries; it’s one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.
This event has done a lot to raise awareness of climate change issues. But there's more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year.
It's all about giving people a voice on the future of the planet and working together to create a sustainable low carbon future.(PIA)