The Petronas Towers stood in darkness as Sunway switched off at 8:30pm, and “Dance in the Dark” for Earth Hour 2011 got underway, led by dancers from WWF-Malaysia and supported by students from local colleges. Covered from head to toe in glow-in-the-dark paint, the troupe of 60 dancers entertained the crowd with a routine that had been posted on WWF-Malaysia’s Facebook page the week before.
“From now until Earth Hour 2012, WWF-Malaysia is urging everyone across the nation to take Earth Hour beyond the hour by pledging online to ‘Live Green: One switch at a time’ towards more sustainable lifestyles,” Dr. Sharma said. “The more people who make this pledge, the more powerful our efforts to protect our living planet become.”
Singapore Keeps it Cool with Air-Conditioning Pledge and “Walk in the Dark” Event
This year in Singapore over 3,000 people including celebrity supporters Nadya Nutagalung, Utt, Felicia Chin, Tung Soo Hua, Pan ling ling and Huan Shinan took part in the first Earth Hour “Walk in the Dark”, circling the city’s historic Marina Bay. An Earth Hour event featured a live concert with popular duo Jack and Rai, Dawn Ho and Syltra Lee, and a carnival and outdoor movie screening. At the carnival, participants could exchange one litre of used cooking oil for a face towel, personalize kites with wishes for a healthy planet and patronize stalls selling eco-friendly products. The Guest of Honour was Dr. Amy Khor, Minister of State for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.
The impressive list of national monuments and landmarks that supported Earth Hour in Singapore include the Lion City’s national emblem, The Merlion, Marina Bay Sands, Orchard Road, Resorts World Sentosa, Changi Airport and the Singapore Flyer.
Even more impressive is the success of WWF-Singapore’s “Beyond the Hour” campaign, which calls for businesses and individuals across the island to set their air-conditioning at 24ºC or higher. Enterprises meeting the energy-saving challenge include Fullerton Heritage properties, the Marina Bay Sands Complex and Resorts World Sentosa.
Brunei staged a plastic bag free day and pledged to drop taxes on hybrid cars by five per cent and small engined cars (under 1.8 litres) by 15 per cent. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, Yayasan Complex and the Kampong Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery extinguished their lights to mark Earth Hour. The Minister of Tourism for Borneo, Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed lent his support to the event.
WWF-Indonesia Commits to Bringing Renewable Light to Far Off Places
Indonesia’s Presidential Palace may have extinguished its lights for Earth Hour but WWF-Indonesia has committed itself to lighting up some isolated areas with renewable power.
“With the support from OSO Group, we built a Micro Hydro Power Plant (PLTMH) in Harowu village, Central Kalimantan. The operation of the 15 KW plant is expected to generate power for 60 households in the village,” said WWF-Indonesia CEO Dr. Pak Efransja.
Other landmarks to go dark in South East Asia’s most populous city (population 18.7 million) included the Jakarta City Hall, the National Monument (Monas), the Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle, the Arjuna Wiwaha Statue and Pemuda Statue. Other Indonesian cities also came on board this year, including Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.
In Cambodia, a host of hotels, restaurants and attractions in the main tourist area along Sisowat Quay darkened for Earth Hour.
“As individuals, we can do our own little part to reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere and take action on climate change for 365 days,” said Cambodian actor, Yuth Darachhany. Colleague Mr. Tep Rindaro, a legendary figure who has been in the Cambodian film industry for 30 years, also lent his profile, encouraging Cambodians to take action for the planet.
In Bangkok, the Royal Palace led a list of landmarks observing Earth Hour, along with Arun Rachawararam Temple, one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, and the city hall which hosted an exhibition of beyond the hour activities by Thai companies. Lights were also extinguished along Patong Beach in Phuket, and the old gates and three kings monument in Changmai. Other provinces taking part included Khonkean, Nakorn Rachasrima and Prathumthanin.
“Each One of Us has the Power to Make a Difference,” said Indian Actress Vidya Balan
Earth Hour in India has nearly doubled over last year’s record effort, with 47 cities across 12 states confirmed to take part before the event, compared to the 27 cities participating in 2010.
“For Earth Hour 2011, I pledge to not just switch off but to go beyond the hour,” said well-known Bollywood actor Vidya Balan. “Each one of us has the power to make a difference. We just need to be conscious of it and make wise choices. When each of us takes simple steps, together these actions add up. I am supporting the fight against climate change by adopting some of these steps. It’s time you do too.”
Balan joined the Honorable Chief Minister of India, Smt. Sheila Dikshit, along with Jim Leape, Director General of WWF-International and Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO of WWF-India in turning off the ceremonial switch at New Dehli’s India Gate – although the monument continued to glow by candlelight even as its floodlights cooled. Palash Sen, the lead vocalist of the popular Indian band Euphoria was the star of a spectacular musical evening around the monument.
In Mumbai, popular landmarks such as Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Bandra Worli Sea Link, ITC Maratha, and Taj Lands End switched off lights. So too did headquarters of several public and private sector organizations like Air India, ICICI and HSBC, to name a few. The city of Bangalore too showcased its support towards Earth Hour, turning off lights in Brigade Road, ING Vysya, Infosys and at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
“Looking at the huge impact of this extraordinary campaign, one can assess the power of individual action for a better tomorrow,” said Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India.
In Colombo, Sri Lanka, 4,000 people have gathered outside the cricket grounds to observe Earth Hour while watching the world cup semi final – and rejoiced in a Sri Lanka triumph. Music moguls Bathiya and Santhus exhorted their fans. “We call all our fans to add their voice to a global call for action against Climate Change and join us in going beyond the hour and changing our lifestyles to reduce the environmental footprint, which will help us lead the way to a greener tomorrow.”
