It's lights-out for Earth Hour
Businesses, residents and city officials in Portland are pledging to turn off the lights from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.
The action is part of a global event called Earth Hour that began last year in Sydney, Australia. Organizers say cities around the world are participating and will go dark, or at least darker, for an hour to focus attention on global warming and energy conservation.
The Maine chapter of the Sierra Club is organizing the event in Portland, and has lights-off pledges from business and residents in other Maine communities as well. Portland’s City Council passed a proclamation Monday supporting Earth Hour, and Mayor Edward Suslovic said non-essential lights, including those at City Hall, will be turned off.
The Sierra Club also is organizing a candlelight rally to celebrate Earth Hour in Portland’s Monument Square. The rally starts at 7:30 and will feature speakers as well as live music – acoustic, naturally.
The World Wildlife Federation is the prime organizer of Earth Hour and is sponsoring events in more than two dozen U.S. cities, including Phoenix, Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago and Denver.
To learn more about Earth Hour in Maine, and find a list of fun things to do in the dark, look here.
Posted by at 05:49 PM
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