Environmentalists seek official partners for Earth Hour 2012

MANILA, Philippines - Environmentalists are seeking official partners for Earth Hour 2012, a one-hour switch off activity to be held on March 31.

“We call on corporations, local governments, media networks and other organizations to stand with us for this year’s switch off. When public and private sector forces unite, we will be able to effect change on the scale required to change the world,” Earth Hour-Philippines national director Gia Ibay said.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Nature, which is spearheading the activity, expects more groups and companies to support the project this year.

“From 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. this coming March 31, WWF-Philippines will stage Earth Hour to inspire Filipinos to switch off their lights and dare their friends to save planet Earth,” Ibay said.

She said they would also promote Earth Hour through the “I Will If You Will” campaign.

“The campaign centers around providing a social contract between two parties –connecting one person, business or organization to a ‘promise’ and their friends, family, customers or members to a ‘challenge’ – uniting them behind the common goal of creating a positive environmental outcome,” Ibay said.

She said they would use the YouTube platform to host a global library of “I Will If You Will” challenges, while encouraging people to share their “dares” in public through Facebook, Twitter, Google and e-mail.

Ibay said friends could be invited to participate and accept each challenge using the social networks.

“The simple promise can range from recycling, to switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, turning off your mobile charger, or signing up for paperless banking,” she said.

Earth Hour, which began as a single-city initiative in 2007, has grown to be a 5,251-city strong global movement, reaching 1.8 billion people in 135 countries across all seven continents.

Ibay said Earth Hour-Philippines, which has led the global switch off since 2009, ranked number one worldwide in terms of town and city participation for three consecutive years.

A record-breaking 1,554 Philippine cities and municipalities switched off in 2011; 1,076 in 2010, 647 for 2009; and over 50 during the country’s inaugural Earth Hour switch off in 2008.