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Earth Hour more than lights off

New Zealand communities part of global movement for the planet

From the streets of downtown Auckland to a candlelit barn dance in rural Selwyn, Kiwis across the country will be celebrating Earth Hour – the world’s largest movement for the planet – alongside hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Earth Hour 2013 will take place on Saturday, March 23 at 8:30PM.

WWF-New Zealand has partnered with two communities in Auckland and Canterbury for Earth Hour 2013.

An Earth Hour ‘roll-out’ BMX and skate event through the Auckland CBD is being organised by community members to draw attention to urban litter and encouraging people to recycle and switch to reusable drink bottles and cups.

In Selwyn, there is a week of sustainability events culminating in an Earth Hour barn dance. Organised by Lincoln Envirotown Trust, highlights include a debate chaired by broadcaster Kim Hill at Lincoln University on sustainable food production, a youth-led acoustic concert in Lincoln, and an environmental film making competition.

Rosa Argent, WWF-New Zealand’s Earth Hour coordinator says: “Earth Hour is community-led and different groups across the country are expected to mark the occasion with their own creative events. More than just a lights off campaign, Earth Hour is a night when we come together as a single global community demanding action and committing to do what we can to live more sustainably on this planet.”

Tauranga, which last year led New Zealand’s Earth Hour celebrations with a night market and acoustic concert attended by more than 2,000 people, is hosting a Big Dessert Night – encouraging neighbourhoods and community groups to get together over dessert to mark Earth Hour – as part of their sustainable backyards month. Families with young children will be taking part in a torch led procession at Papamoa Beach Kindergarten ending with a dessert picnic.

The Body Shop is also getting behind the global initiative, with all 27 stores nationwide running Earth Hour action stations. Stores will observe the hour of darkness by switching off lights at 1pm on Sat 23 March. The ethical beauty store has also committed to planting 500 trees, if 400 customers pledge to participate in Earth Hour this year.

“Earth Hour is just over one month away, but there is still plenty of time to get your friends and family involved and either join a local Earth Hour event or organise your own.  WWF is providing free materials and ideas to get you inspired at www.earthhour.org,” Argent says.
Since 2007 when 2.2 million people took part in the first Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, Earth Hour has massively expanded to over 7,000 cities and towns in 152 countries and territories with hundreds of millions of participants across seven continents.

 Earth Hour 2013 will take place at 8.30pm – 9.30pm on Saturday 23 March

Tags: earth hour