Introspection hour beckons

The Earth Hour is perhaps the world's biggest annual participatory event to spread the message, 'Live in the planet. The way we can sustain'.

The Earth Hour is perhaps the world's biggest annual participatory event to spread the message, 'Live in the planet. The way we can sustain'.

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The 2011 Earth Hour starting 8.30 pm on March 26 will cover 6,000 cities in 131 countries. “It is already creating a buzz across the globe,” said Jim Leape, director general of World Wide Fund for nature (WWF), the organiser of Earth Hour.

“We will show how much we love Dharti Mata (motherland),” said Ravi Singh, chief executive officer of WWF India.

Earth Hour saw a phenomenal growth in India with 11,500 schools committing to participate in the campaign. Almost all government institutions, including the army, are also taking part in the campaign.

There are also dedicated individual efforts, such as a person in Etawah, UP, who spent R15,000 from his own pocket to run the campaign. In a school without power in Madhya Pradesh, students will light candles to observe the day.

“More than organisations this campaign is about individuals,” said Singh. Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit will administer a pledge to all Delhi government officials on Friday to switch off lights for an hour, and Delhi Assembly Speaker Yoganand Shastri will also ask 70 legislators to do the same.