It was a promising celebration of the Earth Hour on Saturday, March 29. In addition to common people and celebrities turning their lights off for an hour to save electricity, major landmarks around the world did the same. The trend was there from Australia to Canada and Malaysia to India. The effect was legendary as it was a totally different view of the international monuments without light.
The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada turned off all its exterior lighting, leaving only the aircraft safety lights. Similar scenes were visible in the financial district of Shanghai, Germany, Russia, Lithuania and India. According to organisers, the celebration of Earth Hour proves the powerful effect of a small act, when done by enough people together.
The World Wildlife Fund is the most prominent motivating force behind the Earth Hour, an annual campaign which urges everyone to turn their lights off only for an hour to save energy. This year in 2014, it was celebrated on March 29 as everyone was requested to turn off lights for an hour, starting at 8:30pm local time, for every country. The celebration of the Earth Hour began in Australia in 2007. However, it soon expanded to several other nations in the world. Around 7,000 cities from over 154 countries all over the world celebrated the occasion in 2014.
It was heavily celebrated in Australia this time as well. The Sydney Opera and the Sydney Harbour Bridge were seen turning off their lights whereas thousands of buildings, corporate and residential, too celebrated by turning off lights for one hour.
The Earth Hour is celebrated to counter climate change. In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is believed to be susceptible to the climate change which may prove to be lethal for it. The Parliament House saw around 3,500 candles on its front lawn that spelt "Lights out for the Reef." According to a report by University of Queensland Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, there will be "irreversible" damage to the Great Barrier Reef due to climate change if no step is taken - The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
A combination picture shows the Galileo Galilei planetarium during Earth Hour (top) and after Earth Hour in Buenos Aires March 29, 2014. Lights go off around the world at 8.30pm local time in a show of support for renewable energy during Earth Hour, an event organised since 2007 to promote a sustainable future for the planet.REUTERS/Marcos BrindicciA combination picture shows Times Square before (L) and during Earth Hour in New York March 29, 2014. Reuters/Eduardo MunozA combination photo shows the "Puente Nuevo" (New Bridge) in the day (top), at night (C) and during Earth Hour in Ronda, near Malaga, southern Spain March 29, 2014. Lights go off around the world at 8.30 pm local time in a show of support for renewable energy during Earth Hour, an event organised since 2007 to promote a sustainable future for the planet. The Puente Nuevo is 120 metres (390 feet) high and the gorge of the river divides the city of Ronda.REUTERS/Jon NazcaThe UNESCO World Heritage Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern railway bridge along the river Rhine, are seen during and before (top) Earth Hour in this combination picture March 29, 2014. Lights go off around the world at 8.30pm local time in a show of support for renewable energy during Earth Hour, an event organised since 2007 to promote a sustainable future for the planet. REUTERS/Ina FassbenderA combination photo shows the Le Royal Hotel before (bottom) and during Earth Hour in Amman March 29, 2014. Earth Hour, when everyone around the world is asked to turn off lights for an hour from 8.30 p.m. local time, is meant as a show of support for tougher actions to confront climate change.REUTERS/Ali JarekjiA combination picture shows a view of the hill of the Acropolis before (top) and during Earth Hour in Athens March 29, 2014. Lights go off around the world at 8.30pm local time in a show of support for renewable energy during Earth Hour, an event organised since 2007 to promote a sustainable future for the planet. REUTERS/Alkis KonstantinidisA combination picture shows the Kremlin before (top) and during Earth Hour in Moscow March 29, 2014. Lights go off around the world at 8.30pm local time in a show of support for renewable energy during Earth Hour, an event organised since 2007 to promote a sustainable future for the planet. REUTERS/Artur BainozarovIn addition to common people and celebrities turning their lights off for an hour to save electricity, major landmarks around the world did the same. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri
