Answer: Your answer comes from the Earth Hour Web page at:

http://www.earthhour.org/

Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

It started with a question: How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?

The answer: Ask the people of Sydney, Australia to turn off their lights for one hour.

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. If the greenhouse reduction achieved in the Sydney CBD during Earth Hour was sustained for a year, it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year.

With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off, and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice.

Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.This simple act has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world.

As a result, at 8pm March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world’s major capital cities, including Copenhagen, Toronto, Chicago, Melbourne, Brisbane and Tel Aviv will unite and switch off for Earth Hour.

Linda Niemi