1. Posted on Monday 19 January 2009 - 11:39

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   Maditla

   

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   Neo Maditla, AfricaNews reporter in Pretoria, South Africa

   The world is being encouraged to join a campaign geared towards saving planet earth. Organizers of Earth Hour, a global campaign encouraging people to switch off lights for one hour at 8.30pm on Saturday March 28 2009, hopes the response would be great.

   

   A release on the campaign’s website revealed that 168 cities commit to Earth Hour 2009 since its launch and six additional national capitals pledge their support for ‘lights out’ campaign.
   
   “Within a week of its launch, Earth Hour 2009 has experienced an outstanding groundswell of support with the number of cities committed to the campaign increasing by around 230 per cent. The WWF initiative that addresses the issue of climate change now has a staggering 242 cities - up from 74 a week ago - across 63 countries pledging their involvement in the ‘lights out’ campaign taking place between 8.30pm – 9.30pm on 28 March, 2009,” the report said.
   
   It said: “The new additions to the list of cities participating in Earth Hour 2009 span the globe; from South America, to Europe, to Asia, to the South Pacific, including national capitals Beijing in China, Edinburgh in Scotland, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Kiev in the Ukraine, Bogota in Columbia and Wellington in New Zealand.”
   
   The lights out initiative, which began in Sydney in 2007 as a public awareness raising campaign on climate change, has grown significantly over the past two years and already has cities such as Shanghai, Helsinki, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Guatemala City, Auckland, Venice, Abu Dhabi, Vancouver, Gothenburg, Amman and Cape Town pledging their involvement in the 2009 campaign.
   
   Executive Director of Earth Hour Global, Andy Ridley said, "With almost half the world’s population living in cities, it is no wonder that cities are often the leaders when dealing with important issues. We hope many more cities, towns, municipalities and villages will sign up and lend their voice to the campaign."
   
   In 2007, 2.2 million people took part in the world's first Earth Hour in Sydney Australia. Just one year later, 50 million people in 370 cities and towns, in more than 35 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour. It aims to reach more than one billion people in 1000 cities around the world in 2009.

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Reactions

1. Posted on Monday 19 January 2009 13:05

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   kpekpe

   

   Choice Adams
   10 berichten
   Lid sinds October 2008

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   Great initiative. How do i sign on to join the campaign. All world leaders must rally behind it.

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2. Posted on Wednesday 21 January 2009 14:21

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   Maditla

   

   Neo Maditla
   35 berichten
   Lid sinds October 2007
   Pretoria, South Africa

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   Go to
   
   www.earthhour.org
   
   and register your name there.

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   Pretoria, Gauteng and surrounding areas and news on places I have been to elsewhere in the country

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