For three years, Chicagoland residents have made a bold statement of concern about climate change by doing something quite simple — turning off their lights for one hour. This year, Earth Hour will be held from 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 27.
Last year, more than 200 downtown buildings and 1,400 local landmarks, businesses, schools and churches participated in the Earth Hour movement, showing that by working together, in cooperation with cities and nations around the world, we can find solutions. People need to remember to turn the lights off on pollution and climate change and create a cleaner, safer, more secure future.
Led by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour has grown from a city-wide effort in 2007 to a global phenomenon that has captured the world’s attention. Each year, individuals, organizations, businesses and state and local governments show their support by turning off lights in homes, the workplace and at iconic landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Las Vegas Strip and Sydney’s Opera House. In 2009 alone, hundreds of millions of people turned out for Earth Hour — spanning 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents.
Columbia College Chicago is proud to be an official supporter of Earth Hour. We encourage you to join with us and millions of Americans in making Earth Hour 2010 the biggest yet. Getting involved is easy.
1. Sign up at EarthHour.org. Show your support, get counted, and learn what you can do to help protect the environment.
2. Spread the Word. Invite your friends and family to join the movement.
3. Turn off non-essential lighting in your home and workplace at 8:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, March 27. Even better, remember to turn off non-essential lighting each and every day of the year.