2nd ANNUAL EARTH HOUR GOES GLOBAL:
CITIZENS URGED TO PARTICIPATE
Sarasota, FL: The City of Sarasota invites you to participate in the 2nd Annual Earth Hour, March 28th from 8:30pm to 9:30pm, by turning off your non-essential household and business lights and electrical appliances for one hour. “Switch the lamps off, unplug your electronics and turn off your television. Then go take time to enjoy a night out with the lights out,” says Michele Mician, the City’s Environmental Coordinator.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that lighting makes up about 15% of the average household energy bill. Simple actions like turning off appliances while not in use and switching to energy efficient bulbs, unplugging your cell phone charger, unplugging your TV and turning down your air conditioning will help reduce annual emissions. “One way we can celebrate Earth Hour everyday is by plugging all of our electronic appliances into one power strip and unplugging that before we leave the house for work or school,” said Mician. “Unfortunately, many appliances still draw energy from the grid even if they are not on. If we unplug these items it is amazingly evident that energy is saved with that simple act.”
The City of Sarasota recently completed a baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory for City government and our surrounding community. The study found that energy used in buildings contributes to about 20% of our overall government/community green house gas emissions. It also showed that energy conservation in buildings in the commercial and residential sector is one of the greatest areas of opportunity for reducing emissions, saving resources and therefore saving money. "Participating in Earth Hour is a terrific first step toward environmental and financial savings," said Mician
Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 when 2.2 million Sydney residents and thousands of businesses participated, leading to a 10.2% energy reduction across the city.
In 2008, it is estimated that 50 million people in over 35 countries took part in the event. This year Earth Hour has a goal of reaching 1 billion people around the world, sending a powerful national and global message that it’s possible to take action on global warming.
The City of Sarasota encourages its estimated 24,000 households to participate in Earth Hour. One of the City's top priorities is sustainability and environmental protection.
For more information contact: Michele Mician at 941-365-2200 x. 6317.
For more information, please contact:
John Nopper, Public Broadcasting Coordinator 941-954-4160
John.Nopper@sarasotagov.com
