Town of Caledon will take part in Earth Hour

Caledon councillors last week declared the Town will participate in Earth Hour observances.

Earth Hour is an international lights-out event that is set for March 29, starting at 8 p.m. The goal is to get as many individuals and businesses as possible to turn off their lights for one hour to raise awareness about climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"The Town of Caledon will participate in Earth Hour to demonstrate our continued environmental commitment," declared Mayor Marolyn Morrison. "Where feasible and without jeopardizing safety or disrupting regular programming, the Town will shut off lights in many of its facilities. On behalf of staff and council, I encourage our entire community to take part in Earth Hour."

Turning off lights is significant, since lighting uses about five to 15 per cent of electricity in the residential sector and more than one-third (approximately 37 per cent) of electricity in offices.

The Town hall, community centres and recreation facilities will dim or darken all unnecessary indoor and outdoor lights. For a complete list of Town facilities participating in Earth Hour, visit www.caledon.ca

Earth Hour has grown from a single event in Sydney, Australia in 2007 to a global phenomenon that will occur across six continents and as many as 20 cities in 2008. Last year, almost 2.3 million Sydney residents participated in Earth Hour, including more than 2,100 businesses, resulting in a 10 per cent reduction on the electrical grid, saving 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of taking about 50,000 cars off the road for one hour.

The Town of Caledon encourages individuals, households, and businesses to get involved in Earth Hour. For more information, visit the World Wildlife Canada website at www.wwf.ca/earthhour.