People around the world are asked to “vote” for the earth and against global warming by turning off all nonessential lighting during Earth Hour, today from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Supporters can go to www.earthhour.org to show their support. The results will be tallied and presented to world leaders discussing caps on greenhouse gas emissions at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December. During last year’s Earth Hour, 50 million people worldwide shut off their lights. This year, organizers are shooting for 1 billion.
The university will be shutting down the lights at the Knowledge Center and Joe Crowley Student Union during this year’s Earth Hour, and the Residence Hall Association is also encouraging its members to observe the hour.
In addition, the university’s Fleishmann Planetarium and Science Center is hosting a free community event at River School, 7777 White Fir St. in Reno. At 7 p.m., a dark-skies film will be shown. During Earth Hour, attendees can enjoy stargazing through telescopes, with university experts on hand to guide them. A celebration and bonfire will follow at 9:30 p.m. Refreshments will be available for a donation to the River School.
Lights will also be shut down at some other buildings and landmarks in Reno, including at the Reno Arch. Harrah’s, the El Dorado, and the Silver Legacy have all committed to reducing their light use. The Las Vegas Strip also plans on participating. Although Earth Hour is largely symbolic, organizers are hoping to inspire people to cut back on their energy use throughout the year.
“We want to remind people that something as simple as shutting off their lights for an hour can make a huge difference,” said Henning. “It’s easy for everyone to be ‘green.’ ”
For more information on the Earth Hour celebration at the River School, visit http://planetarium.unr.nevada.edu/News_&_Events.html.
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