Earth Hour

Earth Hour, Saturday March 28, 8:30 p.m.

Lights Out for Earth Hour
Saturday, March 28, 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

VOTE EARTH

YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

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. WWF are 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.

Earth Hour 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.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

Original Source: http://www.earthhour.org/home/

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

You Can Help "Keep America Beautiful"

If you are looking for ways in which you can do your part to "green" our world, there is no better way than to participate in the "Green starts here" message provided by the March 3 launch of the 2009 Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Great American Cleanup project. KAB will be hosting events around the country until the end of the program on May 31. It is a reminder to family, friends and neighbors that even though ‘Green Starts Here,’ the impact we create as individuals goes beyond our own community.

KAB is expecting over three million volunteers in 30,000 community improvement activities and educational workshops to get involved in this year’s Great American Cleanup. These volunteers will rid streets, waterways and public spaces of litter and illegal dump sites, hold recycling drives and educational events, paint out graffiti and much more.

The Great American Cleanup is not a small project. Last year, 86 million pounds of litter and debris were collected for proper disposal, reuse and recycling. The program also:

• Removed 15,200 junk cars, recycled 10.2 million pounds of aluminum and steel and recycled 1.4 million tires
• Recycled 5.3 million pounds of electronics and 137,000 batteries
• Improved over 144,000 miles of roadway
• Recycled 186 million plastic (PET) bottles
• Improved and maintained 91,000 acres of parks and public lands; 7,000 miles of rivers, lakes and shorelines; and 6,000 miles of hiking, biking and nature trails
• Recycled 37.1 million pounds of newsprint
• Recycled 5.2 million pounds of clothing

The Great American Cleanup began with a national launch event in Waveland, Miss., which helped to restore a hurricane-ravaged town along the Gulf Coast. It will also host additional national events in New York City on Earth Day and Nashville on May 14.