為響應「地球時刻」（Earth Hour）活動，3月29日禮拜六在各地當地時間晚間8點到9點，成千上百萬盞燈光將熄滅一個小時。而這一個小時的熄燈活動將傳遞出強而有力的訊息，讓全世界都知道減少全球暖化有多麼重要，以及有多少人關心這個問題並且採取了行動。
「地球時刻」所訴求的是一個每個人都可以做得到，非常簡單的改變。這個活動由全球保育組織－世界自然基金會（WWF）所發起，由澳洲在2007年3月31日率先舉行。當時，「地球時刻」活動號召了雪梨市220萬人民以及2100個企業熄燈一個小時。
眾志成城的努力使雪梨市在一個小時之間減少了10.2%的能源消耗，相當於4萬8000輛車停駛一個小時的效果。
雪梨的大地標如雪梨海港大橋（Harbour Bridge）和雪梨歌劇院（Opera House）等也都熄燈一小時；此外，像一些單一事件如婚禮等也都使用燭光代替燈光，這些活動引起世界各地的注意。
今年，「地球時刻」也逐漸獲得全球響應。
「地球時刻」活動總監李德利（Andy Ridley）表示，「在整個城市的天際線，世界最具指標性的建築物和住家共同進行熄燈活動，是一個需高度計算且精密複雜的過程，而且必須考慮到相當的安全性。」
他進一步指出，「也由於各地的政府機構、企業組織和居民住戶都樂烈參與，響應關燈一小時，使『地球時刻』成為一個非常獨特的活動。只要我們一起協同合作，住戶加上世界著名地標的力量，將能夠發揮重要影響力，以對抗氣候變遷。」
世界自然基金會執行長李普（James Leape）也表示，「作為世界自然基金會此一國際網絡的代表，我想要讚揚並感謝響應此次活動的一些指標性大城市的市長及官員們，這些城市在支持這個獨特的全球活動中扮演了一個領航的角色，並且展現出其對於對抗氣候變遷的承諾。」李普讚揚所有簽署加入「地球時刻」熄燈活動的城市市長們。
這些指標性城市包括了亞特蘭大、舊金山、鳳凰城、曼谷、渥太華、溫哥華、蒙特婁、都柏林、雪梨、伯斯、墨爾本、坎培拉、布利斯班市、阿德萊德、哥本哈根、奧胡斯、阿爾堡、歐登斯、馬尼拉、蘇瓦、芝加哥、特拉維夫、多倫多、基督城。這些城市在3月29日禮拜六當地時間8點都將熄燈響應「地球時刻」活動。
On Saturday, March 29, from 8 to 9 in the evening local time, hundreds of thousands of lights around the world will go dark for Earth Hour. The one hour event is intended to send a powerful message around the world about how important it is to reduce global warming and how many people care enough to take action.
Earth Hour is all about the simple changes everyone can make. Run by WWF, the global conservation organization, Earth Hour was initiated in Australia on March 31, 2007. Earth Hour moved 2.2 million people and 2,100 businesses in Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour.
This collective effort reduced the city's energy consumption by 10.2 percent for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for an hour.
With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice.
This year Earth Hour is going global.
Andy Ridley, executive director for Earth Hour said, "Powering down a city's skyline and some of the world's most iconic structures and premier properties is a highly calculated and intricate process, and allowances need to be made to account for safety."
"What makes Earth Hour a unique event is that it brings together governments, business and householders who all play a part in switching off the lights. Working together, individual households alongside the world's most magnificent iconic landmarks can make an impact in the fight against climate change," Ridley said.
"On behalf of the WWF International network, I want to commend and thank the mayors and officials in our flagship cities for playing a leadership role in supporting this unique global event and demonstrating their commitment to fighting climate change," says WWF Director General James Leape, praising mayors in the all the cities that have signed up to go dark for Earth Hour.
Some of the Earth Hour flagship cities are - Atlanta, San Francisco, Phoenix, Bangkok, Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal, Dublin, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense, Manila, Suva, Chicago, Tel Aviv, Toronto and Christchurch. They all will switch off for Earth Hour on Saturday March 29, at 8 pm local time.
全文及圖片詳見：ENS
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
