Earth Hour 2016

Earth Hour has grown into one of the biggest environmental campaigns in the world. Last year, 172 countries and territories participated. This is a massive growth from its start in Sydney, Australia in 2007. There were also over 2 billion impressions of the campaign hashtags on Twitter in the 3 days leading up to Earth Hour. The campaign continues to mobilise people of all ages across the globe to take action against the most immediate threat to the survival of our planet: climate change.

About Earth Hour

The campaign is championed by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). For the past 7 years, millions of people around the world have switched off their lights for Earth Hour as a symbolic gesture to show their commitment to taking positive actions for our planet.

Earth Hour is the perfect example of the impact millions of people can have, when united for a common cause. This year, the Earth Hour theme is “Shine a light on climate action!” and will be celebrated on Saturday, 19 March 2016, from 8:30pm to 9:30pm.

Watch the Earth Hour 2016 campaign video:

Be a part of the movement!

At the very least, please remember to switch off your lights and appliances on 19 March. Have a lantern-lit dinner party with friends or a games night by candlelight. Let’s make a collective effort to go beyond the hour and keep our electrical appliances off for as long as we can on the day and throughout the year.

In everyday life throughout the year, you can also make cost-effective changes that will reduce your individual carbon footprint, save energy and scale down the amount you’re paying for electricity every month.

You can switch to energy-efficient LED lights, and keep your geyser snug for winter by covering it with a geyser blanket. Here are some other quick ways to change how you use and what you spend on electricity:
 

If you’re able to afford it, consider investing in solar water heating, and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. When investing in a new car, consider the fuel efficiency of your vehicle, as this usually translates into the amount of carbon emitted. Also consider hybrid or electric vehicles which have a substantially lower environmental impact, and can save you money on fluctuating petrol prices. In the case of an electric vehicle, this would cut out the need for petrol altogether. These adjustments have long-term benefits for you, your family and the planet.

Watch how you can save electricity in your home:

Take the pledge!

We all need to think about the choices we make around our food, water and energy use, and the impact our choices have on our environment – both now and in the future. Take the WWF pledge and commit to making a change.

The power of choice is in our hands. Through our everyday commitments, habits and preferences, we can change the world.

Energy Security Game Changer

We’ll be launching our Energy Security Game Changer on 19 March at the V&A Waterfront. This game changer is a joint venture between the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town. The aim is to reduce our electricity demand by 10% over the next few years by using different sources of energy in our energy mix and promoting energy efficiency measures across the province.

We chose this day as both Earth Hour and our Switch and Save campaign initiatives are aimed at energy consumption awareness, and provide us with a great opportunity to take charge of our future.

The launch will be taking place at the V&A Waterfront and will be a fun-filled evening ,with a serious message. Premier Helen Zille and Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille will share how government, businesses and citizens can work together to create an energy efficient way of life.

Watch how saving energy will benefit your business:

We invite you to come and join the celebrations on 19 of March and learn more about how to #switchandsave.