Earth Hour urges decision-makers to take action on climate change

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In the Greater Helsinki area, all city authorities and hundreds of companies and organisations will take part in the Earth Hour campaign tomorrow - Saturday.
     
Earth Hour is a global event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and is held on the last Saturday of March annually, asking households and businesses to switch off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm in order to urge decision-makers to take rapid action on climate change.
      In Helsinki, the main event of the worldwide Earth Hour will start in the Esplanade Park at 8.00 pm.
      The event will feature for example a performance by the fire troupe Polte, bands, and pop singer Pete Parkkonen, who rose to fame on the television show Idols in 2008.
     
The City of Helsinki will participate in this year’s campaign by turning off the exterior lighting system at City Hall, the lighting of the tower of the Olympic Stadium, and the lights of the concert hall tower at Finlandia Hall.
      The energy utility Helsingin Energia is taking part in the campaign by switching off the illumination of its headquarters in Helsinki’s district of Kamppi, while the Port of Helsinki will turn off the lighting in the area surrounding the capital’s South Harbour, including the Makasiini Terminal and the Olympia Terminal.
     
During the Earth Hour, the energy consumption of the capital will be projected on the wall of the National Theatre in the form of a work of performance art. The show will start at 8.30 pm.
      On Saturday, Helsingin Energia will also introduce a new energy meter that will tell at a glance the amount of electricity and heating energy being consumed in the city.
     
At the City of Espoo’s properties, the lights will go out following the normal practice. The Espoo shopping centres of Sello, Espoontori, Heikintori, Iso Omena, Lippulaiva, and Galleria will all take part in the campaign by switching off their lights.
      In an attempt to encourage schoolchildren to discuss climate change, Espoo has challenged all pupils in the city’s comprehensive schools to design a poster that illustrates the theme.
      The competition will end on Saturday and the prizes will be distributed after Easter.
     
In Vantaa’s suburb of Tikkurila, the lights of the City Hall and the Tikkurila church will be turned off.
      In addition, the City of Vantaa has called the local parishes to take part in the event. The congregations will arrange candlelight prayers in churches on Saturday evening.
      The City has also challenged the energy utility Vantaan Energia to participate in the campaign. The company will monitor the impact of the event on the electricity consumption of the city.
      Vantaa’s major shopping malls of Tikkuri, Myyrmanni, Jumbo, and Isomyyri will also be involved in the campaign.
     
The City of Kauniainen will participate in the campaign by turning off the lighting of the City Hall and the area in front of it.
     
     
The progress of Earth Hour around the world can be followed on the earthhour.org website.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Earth Hour cuts down on electricity consumption (30.3.2009)

Links:
  Earth Hour (Wikipedia)
  Earth Hour (earthhour.org)

Helsingin Sanomat