Ban urges world to join ‘Earth Hour’

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging citizens around the world to join World Wildlife Fund’s “Earth Hour” to demand action on climate change.

In a videotaped address, the Secretary-General said that Earth Hour—which takes place on Saturday, March 28—promises to be “the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted.”

“Earth Hour is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message. They want action on climate change,” said Ban.

Earth Hour, which is held on the last Saturday of March, began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming. For 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their non-essential lights and electrical appliance for one hour as part of a global vote and to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote. Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.

In the CNMI, Tan Holdings will be supporting the effort by urging the world to vote EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Ban said that the United Nations would be doing its bit for Earth Hour. “In New York, we will switch out the lights at UN Headquarters. Other UN facilities around the world will also take part.”

Vote EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour on March 28, and join the world for Earth Hour. [B][I](PR)
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