EARTH HOUR 2011

Community Toolkit
Go beyond the hour for Earth Hour 2011

EARTH HOUR 2011

At 8:30pm, Saturday 26 March 2011 millions of people in cities across the world will switch off for climate change and help our planet. This is a chance for your group to be part of this global and inspiring movement. What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is a WWF-initiative, pioneered here in Australia when in 2007 over 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses in Sydney switched off their lights to take a stand against climate change. Since then, Earth Hour has gained a following of hundreds of millions and is now recognised as the biggest climate change movement around the world. If this can be achieved in four short years, imagine what else can be done!

Why take part?

With a growing number of us calling this Earth home (we just reached 7 billion) and an increasing rate of consumption, humanitys footprint on this one and only planet of ours is deepening. Since 1966, our collective demand on the planets natural resources has doubled and today we are using the equivalent of 1.5 planets to support our activities. Here in Australia we are super consumers if everyone lived like us, we would need 3.8 planets to sustain us! As individuals, businesses, communities and governments, we all have a part to play in creating a sustainable future. Earth Hour is an opportunity for us to join together to show our commitment to take action, a time to move beyond the hour to reduce our impact on the planet.

THROUGH THE SUM OF OUR EFFORTS, WE CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT.

HOW YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP CAN SUPPORT EARTH HOUR?

Sign up
Please start by taking a minute or two to confirm your groups participation in Earth Hour 2011 at www.earthhour.org.au This helps us to track numbers and list your name on our website as committed to Earth Hour.

Spread the word

The mission is to spread the word far and wide, to get as many people involved as possible. Help us promote Earth Hour to your members, their families, and the local community: Inform group member through announcements at group meetings. Display Earth Hour posters on community notice boards, at the butchers, supermarket, corner store, or in cafes. Feature Earth Hour in your local community ads. Issue a media release announcing your support and involvement in Earth Hour. If you have a website, include a link to the Earth Hour Australia website or host an Earth Hour banner on your homepage.Include notices on the Intranet, posters around the office, all staff emails and internal newsletters. Distribute this factsheet

Tell us what youre doing

Please share with us what your group is doing for Earth Hour and beyond! Email earthhourmedia@wwf.org.au with a summary and your details. Inspire others with your ideas, stories, photos and videos. Share on Facebook, You Tube and Twitter. Capture it - Take before and after shots and upload your pictures our social media pages. Tag them with Earth Hour Au and include a few lines on what happened.

Plan
Earth Hour connects people and presents a wonderful opportunity to organise and host a community event. This year, join Australians across the country in planning an Aussie Earth Hour BBQ! A few of our top suggestions: Establish a committee. Plan ahead! Consider fundraising in the lead-up to the Earth Hour and donating the proceeds to WWF in support of its conservation projects set up a page at www.everydayhero.com.au

Download
Earth Hour is an open-source brand and any materials developed for the campaign are free for use. Go to www.earthhour.org.au to download everything you need, including artwork, posters, online banners, and letter and media release templates.

Collaborate with WWF

We could use volunteers throughout March, please contact us if you are interested to help make it all happen.

SUSTAIN ACTION BEYOND THE HOUR

Earth Hour is not simply about switching off the lights for one hour. Earth Hour is a time to commit to more enduring, everyday changes for the benefit of the planet. Why not take Earth Hour 2011 as an opportunity to:

Look
for improvements that your group can made to save power, water, and paper. Visit www.earthhour.org.au for some starting suggestions.

Reduce and report

calculate or review your groups carbon emissions, set a reduction target and then report on it.

Involve your members

ask them to come up with ways of reducing waste around the office, and elect monitors whose job it is to check all the lights are switched off and appliances are off standby at the end of the day.

Advocate
publicly lend your support to action on climate change and sustainability.

Investigate
the supply chain and work with suppliers who reduce their impacts.

Learn
try out WWFs Footprint Calculator to get an idea of how much of a demand youre placing on the Earths resources through the food you eat, where you live, how you get around and what you buy www.wwf. org.au/footprint

Consider fundraising
or personally supporting the work of WWF through a regular or one-off donation. Big or small, your money will go towards WWFs continuing work conserving Australias unique plants and animals and their habitats, tackling the threat of climate change, as well as helping us protect our fresh water resources and marine environment.

With your help, Earth Hour 2011 is sure to be an even greater success.

Earth Hour demonstrates the collective power of individuals, communities, businesses and governments to make a difference.

INTRODUCING THE WWF EARTH HOUR AWARDS

This year, we want to unearth and celebrate the efforts of those who are already taking action beyond the hour to care for the planet.
To recognise Australians across the country, of all ages, who are leading by example and inspiring others to do the same. We want to share these stories with the world and we need your help. From 31 January to 25 February 2011, were inviting the public to go online to apply or nominate someone they know who is making a difference. Finalists from each category will go into the running to win the Peoples Choice Award, with the winners of each category to be announced on the night of Earth Hour, Saturday 26 March. Help us promote the WWF Earth Hour Awards in your community! To find out more, go to our website www.earthhour.org.au

AWA R D S

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2007

The year Earth Hour was launched as a call to action on climate change

The percentage of total greenhouse gas emissions which are emitted in the generation of electricity.

35
CONTACT INFO
If you have questions or comments, please contact us at: E: earthhour@wwf.org.au W: www.earthhour.org.au

128

The number of countries across the world who took part in last years Earth Hour.

4088
The number of cities across the world who took part in Earth Hour 2009.