I love this event.  Lights out tonight 8:30-9:30p, eastern time. Feel the energy of everyone around the world uniting to raise awareness of climate change. A mere two years ago, this call to action was ignited in just one city — Sydney, Australia, when 2.2 million people joined together to make a statement…what will you be doing during earth hour this year?  We’ll be stargazing in the Catskills.

Earth Hour via the UN (video)
Earth Hour 2009 video

Highlights of a press release and news from World Wildlife Fund…

EarthHour is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org <http://www.worldwildlife.org>  to learn more.

2400 cities in 82 countries have officially signed on to turn off their lights on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30p.m. local time. Last year we had nearly 400 cities in 35 countries committed.

220 cities in the U.S. are officially committed including Washington D.C., Las Vegas, LA, New York City, Nashville, etc. For the first time, the states of Pennsylvania, California and Arkansas are on board.

New landmarks announced to go dark
Great Pyramids and Sphinx in Egypt
Acropolis in Greece
Thomas Alva Edison’s Laboratory
Broadway Theater marquees
Rockefeller Center
Chrysler Building

Other landmarks going dark include: Las Vegas Strip, United Nations headquarters, Empire State Building, Santa Monica Pier and Ferris Wheel, Capitol Records Building, Sears Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, National Cathedral (DC), Space Needle, Zakim Bridge (Boston), Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sydney Opera House, Christ the Redeemer (Rio), Symphony of lights (Hong Kong), Moscow State University, Table Mountain (South Africa), Petronas Towers (Kuala Lumpur), Kuwait Towers.

The Acropolis of Athens and the Sphinx and Great Pyramids of Giza, as modern-day Greeks and Egyptians join Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

Egypt’s First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, supports Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.
“Climate Change is a growing international crisis no country can afford to overlook. Global warming negatively impacts the environment as well as the health and livelihoods of people worldwide. The interconnected challenges of our time demand immediate, cooperative action.” The First Lady said. “United together, we can and will make a difference. I am pleased to offer my support of Earth Hour and am encouraged by the World Wildlife Fund’s sustainability initiatives. Earth Hour heightens awareness and brings hope to the preservation of our shared planet’s precious environment today and for generations to come.”

The lights will also go out for Earth Hour on another of the ancient world’s great monuments, the Acropolis in Athens, a poignant icon in the birthplace of modern democracy for the world’s first global vote between Earth and climate change. Completed in 5th century BC, the Acropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list of monuments.

photo credit above:  via reuters, 3.20.09
Related: previously on altCon Lights Out at 8 (3/29/08)