EARTH HOUR: 31 MARCH 2012

Earth Hour was launched in Sydney, Australia in 2007, where 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour. Just a year later, Earth Hour reached 370 cities and towns in more than 35 countries across 18 time zones, and the campaign shifted from a ‘Sydney Event’ to a ‘Global Sustainability Movement’. Since then, every year Earth Hour sets new standards and breaks its own records on mass participation and support. 2010 received participation from a record 1.3 billion individuals across 4616 cities in 128 countries globally. Notable landmarks like Acropolis in Greece, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Hiroshima Peace Gardens in Japan, and Pyramids in Egypt switched off.

India joined the Earth Hour movement in 2009, where 5 million Indians across 56 cities showed their support by switching off non essential lights and saving approximately 1000 MW of power in that one hour. Hundreds on educational institutions, 100 top public and private sector organizations, and governments of various cities participated.

The next year registered a 40% increase in participation as 7 million individuals across 125 cities switched off for Earth Hour. In the last three years, the campaign has grown into a national movement supported by individuals, local governments, private and public sector organizations, and institutions. In 2011, individuals across 130 Indian cities participated and committed to a better lifestyle, adhering to the new phase of the going beyond the hour. Over 1,000,000 students joined the movement as young environmentalists. Earth Hour penetrated beyond the urban and educated masses alone, witnessing participation from tier II and III cities, and villages with no access to basic energy requirements.

We at DIN Apts observed our first ‘Earth Hour’ in March 2009 and have continued to contribute our humble bit in preserving our beautiful planet. 8:30pm on Saturday, 31 March 2012, wherever you are, you can be a part of this phenomenal mass movement by switching off lights for one hour!