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Posted on Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : noon

Earth Hour this Saturday: Ann Arbor encourages residents and businesses to shut lights off for 1 hour

By Ryan J. Stanton

Ann Arbor officials are once again encouraging residents and businesses to take part in the annual worldwide observance of Earth Hour this Saturday.

It's this simple: Turn off all unnecessary lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Earth_Hour_2013.jpg
City officials said streetlights along one block of Main Street will be turned off during Earth Hour as a demonstration of Ann Arbor's commitment to fighting greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, in addition to practicing year-round energy conservation at municipal buildings and street fixtures.

For public safety reasons, other streetlights and traffic lights will not be turned off.

"Earth Hour is another way to highlight Ann Arbor's commitment to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and raise awareness on how citizens and government play a part in addressing climate change," Mayor John Hieftje said.

Participating residents and businesses can officially sign up at EarthHour.org and pledge to turn off lights for one hour.

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a one-city environmental campaign and has grown into a grassroots initiative with participants across the globe. Ann Arbor joined the effort in 2008 as one of 371 cities in 35 countries to participate in Earth Hour.

According to EarthHour.org, hundreds of millions of people switched their lights off for an hour in 2012 as Earth Hour took place in more than 7,000 cities and towns in more than 150 countries and territories across all seven continents.

While the event itself is largely symbolic, and even questioned by some, many are pushing to move beyond the symbolism of Earth Hour.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, lighting accounts for roughly 22 percent of U.S. electricity consumption and is a significant contributor to the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

The Ann Arbor City Council this month adopted a resolution supporting Earth Hour, saying the Ann Arbor community is deeply concerned about the impacts of climate disruption and believes energy efficiency and natural resource conservation are important in combating climate change.

Information on Ann Arbor's energy goals and programs is available at www.a2gov.org/energy and ways for residents and businesses to take energy action are found at www.a2energy.org.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

Comments

mady

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 1:48 p.m.

No problem, I will be abed ;)

HB11

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 11:09 a.m.

Is it really safe to shut off street lights? I realize the hours are early and it's not the witching hour when the bars let out, but it is a public safety risk.

Jared Mauch

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 1:13 p.m.

If they are unnecessary, why are they on and maintained in the first place?

Greg

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:48 p.m.

Wow, I feel warm and fuzzy already. That is what matters isn't it.??

Paul

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:47 p.m.

What about China and all that pollution ??? Turn off my light to save the world, what a laugh.

mgoscottie

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:40 p.m.

I wish they would get rid of energy as a word....

motorcycleminer

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:38 p.m.

Cold day in hell...send the cave dwellers back to their holes....

Goober

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 11:45 a.m.

Yes it is cold........

dconkey

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:25 p.m.

I guess I a good to go for the next 100 years when I lost power for over four days during the last big snow storm.

jns131

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 4:58 p.m.

Totally agree with that one.

Dog Guy

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:10 p.m.

For greater compliance it's this simple: Turn off all unnecessary lights from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. It is so much work for Ann Arbor officials to control people, but are we great full?

TheDiagSquirrel

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 6:36 p.m.

I'm surprised they didn't form a committee, with outside consultants, to find out the best and most diverse way to participate during the Earth Hour

Brad

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 5:46 p.m.

"Earth Hour is another way to highlight Ann Arbor's commitment to hollow and pointless feel-good gestures"

SonnyDog09

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 5:35 p.m.

I think we should all light torches and bonfires that night.

jns131

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 4:57 p.m.

Is the ground hog a part of the festivities?

SonnyDog09

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 6:36 p.m.

How about whale oil lamps?

tdw

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 6:12 p.m.

Sonny.....silly comment.Baby seals burn much more cleanly

Usual Suspect

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 5:56 p.m.

If you look at the Earth Hour website, you will see pictures of people using candles instead of lights. Doesn't that produce carbon monoxide?

Macabre Sunset

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 5:33 p.m.

It's too bad the energy savings from this silliness are completely offset by the hot air expelled from all the politicians bleating about it.

Usual Suspect

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 4:49 p.m.

During this time my kids and I are going to see how fast we can get that disk in the meter spinning!

Goober

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 11:44 a.m.

Wow! Nice way to teach your kids how to conserve and save, eh?!

TheDiagSquirrel

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 10:15 p.m.

Spinning meter? You must be one of the people that opted out of the DTE Smart Meter installations

Chester Drawers

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 9:12 p.m.

Your support is appreciated.

MRunner73

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 4:32 p.m.

Why not observe Earth Hour all day, every day?

Nishant K.

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 2:25 a.m.

That's what we do at Skyline.

Ignatz

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 5:03 p.m.

Some of us do.

Billy

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 4:20 p.m.

As long as people are doing it strictly for the purpose of "raising awareness," it doesn't seem like there's anything negative to it. The first time they did it, it had this sorta "Great Gas Out" feel to it.....but it doesn't look like that is any kind of goal here. I would be curious to see some aerial photography of the Ann Arbor area for it though.

Hunterjim

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 4:22 p.m.

My house will probably stick out....

Top Cat

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 4:16 p.m.

At least I'm relieved that they are not advocating that people forego taking a shower for a week.

jns131

Sat, Mar 23, 2013 : 4:55 p.m.

Especially during the summer during the hottest part of it too. Whew. Middle of winter? Yeah, I can see that.

Kyle Mattson

Fri, Mar 22, 2013 : 6:18 p.m.

Related: http://nyti.ms/Z8pwCn