Mayor Carvalho announces his support for Earth Hour 2012 | Environment

LĪHU‘E – Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. today announced his support for Earth Hour 2012, a global climate event led by the World Wildlife Fund. He has instructed county department heads to ensure that all nonessential lights, computers and printers are turned off in county facilities over the weekend.

Kaua'i joins thousands of cities, towns and municipalities around the world that have committed to going dark during Earth Hour this Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

“I encourage everyone to participate in Earth Hour 2012 by turning off all of their non-essential lights and appliances during the designated hour, and more importantly, to reflect upon our collective planetary impacts and how we can mitigate them,” said the mayor. “Although the negative impacts of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions have been well-documented, more needs to be done to heighten the awareness on this issue. If people around the world did their part, it would definitely help to slow climate change.”

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and has since spread around the world.

This year, organizers are hoping that Earth Hour participants will unite as a global community that is committed to going beyond the hour and creating a more sustainable planet.

Some of the suggested activities for Earth Hour include:

• Organize an Earth Hour party with neighbors.
• Have a night picnic with friends and family and look at the stars.
• Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight.
• Have a scavenger hunt in the dark.
• Take your pets for a night walk.
• Sit in the dark and share stories.
• Have a family night playing games by candlelight.
• Share a romantic night in with your loved one.
• Read a book by candle light.

For more information about Earth Hour, please go to www.earthhour.org.