All we need is at least an hour to make our environment better, and Earth Hour, which is observed

annually on the last Saturday of March, provides that. Earth Hour was created by the Worldwide
Fund for Nature (W.W.F.) and is held annually, encouraging individuals, communities, and businesses
to turn off non-essential electric lights, for one hour, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., as a symbol of
commitment to the planet.

HISTORY OF EARTH HOUR

Earth Hour was created to actively involve each of us in the fight against climate change and started
as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007. Earth Hour is now a worldwide event, encouraging
everyone to turn off non-essential electric lights for an hour between 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the
last Saturday of March.

In 2004, Worldwide Fund for Nature (W.W.F.) Australia, met with advertising agency Leo Burnett
Sydney to discuss ideas for engaging Australians on the issue of climate change. However, the idea
for a large-scale off switch wasn’t coined until 2006, under the title ‘The Big Flick.’ In 2007, with the
backing of Fairfax Media along with Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Earth Hour was held on
March 31 in Sydney, Australia at 7:30 p.m., local time.

In 2008, Earth Hour 2008 was held internationally on March 29 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, and
had 35 countries around the world participating, and over 400 cities in support. Landmarks around
the world turned off their non-essential lighting for Earth Hour, and even Google’s homepage went
dark on the day. Participating countries and cities experienced a vast reduction in megawatt-hours
and carbon dioxide reduction.

Occasionally, in years when Holy Saturday falls on the last Saturday of March, or other cultural
activities are observed, Earth Hour is moved a week earlier than its usual date. Ever since 2008,
multiple nations and people have participated, growing this event into one of the world’s largest
grassroots movements for the environment.

Millions of people around the world switch off their lights to show they care about the future of our
planet and joining Earth Hour’s switch off reminds us that even small actions can make a big
difference.
QUESTIONARY:

1. What is Earth Hour?

2. What is the importance of Earth Hour?

3. What is global Warming?