TORONTO, Ont. – Earth Hour will be held around the world, Saturday, with Toronto being one of the 7,000 global cities participating.
Earth Hour is considered a symbolic act, aimed at highlighting the need to protect the environment and fight climate change worldwide.
People in each participating city will dim their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.
Toronto was the first Canadian city to announce its participation in the event. It signed on in 2008 – one year after the World Wildlife Fund kicked off the event in Australia.
Now several years later, it’s estimated 13-million Canadians took part in Earth Hour in 2012.
Participation in Toronto has been lacklustre lately, however, with only a six per cent reduction in our power in 2012. Toronto’s best year saw a 15 per cent reduction.
“No, I knew nothing about it, it sounds like it will save a lot of energy if the whole city does it,” said one woman 680News spoke to on the street.
“I’m planning on celebrating by turning off the lights,” said another.
Franz Hartmann from the Toronto Environmental Alliance says Earth Hour is a great start.
“I think it’s a great public-education hour, we hope of course that people will be turning off their lights and any electrical appliances they can,” Hartmann said.
The CN Tower, Niagara Falls, the Eiffel Tower and Buckingham Palace will be among the iconic landmarks in the world dimming the lights this year.
For a full list of the landmarks across the world dimming their lights click here.
Toronto marks Earth Hour
At the Air Canada Centre, the lights will be dimmed as the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Boston Bruins.
The World Wildlife Fund is hosting an Earth Hour celebration in Roncesvalles Village, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
On Saturday, March 23 we’ll be covering #EarthHour LIVE across the world with the best images, videos & updates earthhourlive.org
— WWFCanada (@WWFCanada) March 21, 2013
