Proponents of an event to spread enlightenment about climate change will do so by turning out the lights for 60 minutes Saturday.
For Earth Hour 2010, people across the world plan to turn off the lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m. local time to cast a vote in favor of action on climate change.
Sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, the global initiative involves individuals, schools, organizations, businesses and governments.
“By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants send a powerful, visual message demanding action on climate change,” according to www.myearthhour.org.
Both Tennessee and Georgia have signed on as official Earth Hour states with pledges to turn off the lights at the Capitols. As of press time, Alabama had not signed up to participate.
Other regional participants include Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, the Cleveland YMCA and Berry College.
Earth Hour began as a local event in Australia in 2007. In 2009, nearly 1 billion people, 4,000 cities and 88 countries participated, making it the largest climate event in history.
Last year, lights were dimmed on Beijing’s National Stadium, the Parthenon in Athens, Paris’ Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building and the Las Vegas Strip.
BY THE NUMBERS
A tri-state comparison of Earth Hour participation (as of noon Wednesday):
Tennessee
14 schools
5 universities
21 organizations
30 businesses
Georgia
40 schools
21 universities
5 cities
4 counties
60 organizations
161 businesses
Alabama
4 schools
2 universities
1 city
11 organizations
7 businesses
Source: www.myearthhour.org