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Welcome to Earth Hour, the time when darkness is celebrated as an act of bravery and consciousness. Millions of people, organizations, and landmarks worldwide switch off their lights for an hour to show their commitment to the planet. It is a global movement that takes place annually, encouraging people to switch off their lights for an hour to remind us that we all have a role to play in protecting our environment.
In this blog post, we'll delve deeper into the history of Earth Hour, its significance, and the impact it has on raising awareness of climate change. We'll also explore the importance of sustainable habits beyond Earth Hour and how they can make a significant difference in our daily lives.
So, let's shine a light on Earth Hour and discover how turning off your lights can make a big difference.
Earth Hour History
2007-2010
Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, and was organized by WWF Australia and Leo Burnett Sydney. The event was initially called "The Big Flick" and gained support from Fairfax Media and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
In 2008, Earth Hour became an international event, with 35 countries participating, and landmarks around the world turned off their non-essential lighting. Some websites also participated in the event, with Google's homepage going "dark" on the day. The event saw a decrease in electricity usage in various countries, including Bangkok, the Philippines, and Ireland.
In 2009, the campaign was titled "Vote Earth" and aimed to receive one billion votes. 88 countries and 4,159 cities participated in Earth Hour 2009, and for the first time, the United Nations Headquarters in New York City participated. Some public institutions reported on electricity savings in their cities, including a 15.1% decrease in Toronto's electricity usage.
Earth Hour 2010 saw 126 countries participate, and landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower turned off their lights. Long-term adjustments to everyday power consumption were also made in some cities, such as the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) developing lighting guidelines to reduce light pollution in Chicago and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota starting to power down earlier each night.
The event continues to be held annually, with about 4,000 cities participating in 2010, including landmarks such as Big Ben, the Sydney Opera House, and the Parthenon. Earth Hour aims to raise awareness about climate change and encourage individuals, businesses, and governments to take action to reduce their carbon footprint.
2011 to Present
In 2011, Earth Hour had the largest participation in its history with 5,251 cities and towns in 135 countries and territories participating. The campaign's digital footprint also grew to 91 million that year.
In 2012, Earth Hour Global headquarters moved from Sydney to Singapore and the event was observed in more than 7,000 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories.
Earth Hour 2019 had the participation of 188 countries and territories, with Miss Earth 2018 Nguyễn Phương Khánh from Vietnam as the Earth Hour Ambassador.
In 2020, Earth Hour went digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 190 countries and territories participating. Earth Hour 2021 and 2022 took place on March 27 and March 26 respectively, while Earth Hour 2023 is scheduled for tomorrow, March 25.