Telford & Wrekin Council to mark Earth Hour
Telford & Wrekin Council will join hundreds of millions of people across the globe in switching off non essential lights for one hour to celebrate Earth Hour later today.
Earth Hour this year takes place at 8.30pm this evening and is the world’s largest public action to show support to protect our planet.
Councillor Bill McClements, Cabinet Member for Resources & Service Delivery, said: “Organisations have a responsibility to operate in a way that doesn’t jeopardise the environment or deplete the world’s natural resources.
“That is why we are supporting Earth Hour and – as far as possible – the council will switch off non essential lighting around the borough to mark the event, something that we try to do as a matter of course on a daily basis.
“I would also urge individuals to get involved and help back the campaign by switching off non essential lights and unplugging non essential equipment at home during Earth Hour and beyond.”
Last year marked the most successful Earth Hour yet with 152 countries and almost 7,000 towns and cities taking part. The event even extended to space where astronaut Andre Kuipers got involved from the International Space Station.
Famous landmarks that have stood in darkness during previous years as a powerful symbol of landmark environmental action include China’s Forbidden City, Eiffel Tower, Table Mountain, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Buckingham Palace, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Niagara and Victoria Falls, the Empire State Building and Sydney Opera House.
