EARTH HOUR 2010: Advocates hope to retain top ranking worldwide

CEBU, Philippines - Philippine Earth Hour advocates are expecting 15 million people, or an increase of five million from last year’s number of participants, across a thousand cities as against last year’s 647 who would stave off use of electricity for 60 minutes as a symbolic act of changing humanity’s patterns of consumption as key to reversing the ill effects of global warming.

Another goal is to maintain the ranking of the Philippines being on top of the list worldwide with the most number of participants at 10 million nationwide.

An estimated one billion people, on a global scale, joined in the previous Earth Hour representing 88 countries as an act of saving an ailing Earth.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, as guest speaker, led the formal launching of the Earth Hour 2010 in Cebu yesterday at the Trade Hall B of SM City, the latter being a mover in the genuine upholding of corporate social responsibility among commercial establishments here.

Reyes called for unity in this campaign to curb the impact of global warming.

“We have problems associated with global climate change, and such are caused by man. Hence, man is a part of the solution and this could possibly be done if we all unite to this action,” he urges.

The Earth Hour 2010 is scheduled on March 27 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

It was also explained that Earth Hour is not just plainly an act of saving a huge amount of energy by switching off the lights together for an hour, but it is more of a symbolic act to inspire humanity to come up with mitigation measures and to adapt to changing climate patterns.

Further, it is also a way for us to discern on how to reduce our carbon footprint or our overall contribution to greenhouse gas emissions for every time we switch on the lights, start our car engine, plug on our appliances, and even our meat intake.

Over a thousand attendees from various sectors and organizations here attended the launch. Among these are the Philippine National Police-7, Rotary Club of Fuente, Pag-IBIG (Home Development Mutual Fund), Knights of Columbus, Philippine Air Force, AboitizLand, Cebu Institute of Technology, Philippine Retailers Association, Couples for Christ, Cebu Aeronautical School, Island Souvenirs Group, Cebu City National Science High School, Outdoor Advertising, Cebu Parklane International Hotel, representatives from barangays Zapatera, Luz, and Kasambagan; and the Talisay City Government Council.

“I am inspired by what I am seeing here,” Reyes said at the sight of several attendees. “Being on top rank worldwide, masasabi ko na hindi lang si Pacquiao ang maipagmamalaki natin.”

The Earth Hour was first observed in Sydney, Australia last 2007 with 2.2 million participants. – Antoniette T. Parce/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)