New Delhi:
People from more than 121 countries will participate in the Earth Hour tonight to save energy.
You too can take part in one of the biggest voluntary actions to show you care about the environment. (Watch: Abhishek Bachchan's message on Earth Hour)
All you have to do is switch off lights and other non-critical electrical appliances at your homes and offices between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm tonight (Saturday). (Buzz on Twitter)
With this, hundreds of cities are hoping to set a new record in conserving power. (Read: Infosys to observe Earth Hour on March 27)
The World Wide Fund (WWF), which is organising the Earth Hour, estimates that power consumption is one of the leading causes of release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and one of the leading causes of global warming.
The WWF has exuded optimism about Earth Hour 2010 initiative in India saving more energy than last year. (Earth Hour today: Are you doing your bit?)
"Of all sectors, the power sector solely contributes a whopping 50 per cent to India's total carbon emission. Under the Earth Hour initiative people are motivated to switch off their lights and electrical appliances from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 27. This is a measure to instill awareness about depleting climatic conditions on Earth," says Aarti Khosla, Campaign Manager, World Wide Fund India.
Last year, the organisation was able to encourage saving of around 1200 mega watts of energy in India, "but this year we definitely plan to surpass this," points out Khosla.
Growing environmental threats - most recent devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile - have rung alarm for natural resource conservation at all levels.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called Earth Hour "both a warning and a beacon of hope."
"Climate change is a concern for each of us. Solutions are within our grasp and are ready to be implemented by individuals, communities, businesses and governments around the globe," Ban said in a statement.
The United Nations will be joining will join the initiative along with many other landmarks around the world.
However, several other groups in India have also shown a keen interest on the occasion in creating awareness in the masses regarding the dire need to preserve natural resources.
"Climate change is a discrepancy created by persistent human exploitation. Hence, its cure lies only in a consistent and united human initiative...individual awareness and action is the key to combat climate change," says Aditi Mehndiratta, head 'Sanrakshan', a nature conservation initiative of an NGO.
"The NGO has inspired lakhs of beneficiaries not only in India but across the globe to switch all their lights and electrical appliances. Along with this our followers would also sit in divine meditation on Earth Hour and pray for the strength of Mother Earth," adds Mehndiratta.
At the British Council High Commission in India, environmental films are being screened for the Earth Hour. "A film screening and photo exhibition is being organised in order to sensitise our staff and their family about the depleting state of environment. Apart from this, office lighting would be turned off from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm," says Dan Chugg, spokesperson of the Commission in India.
You too can take part in one of the biggest voluntary actions to show you care about the environment. (Watch: Abhishek Bachchan's message on Earth Hour)
All you have to do is switch off lights and other non-critical electrical appliances at your homes and offices between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm tonight (Saturday). (Buzz on Twitter)
With this, hundreds of cities are hoping to set a new record in conserving power. (Read: Infosys to observe Earth Hour on March 27)
The World Wide Fund (WWF), which is organising the Earth Hour, estimates that power consumption is one of the leading causes of release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and one of the leading causes of global warming.
The WWF has exuded optimism about Earth Hour 2010 initiative in India saving more energy than last year. (Earth Hour today: Are you doing your bit?)
"Of all sectors, the power sector solely contributes a whopping 50 per cent to India's total carbon emission. Under the Earth Hour initiative people are motivated to switch off their lights and electrical appliances from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 27. This is a measure to instill awareness about depleting climatic conditions on Earth," says Aarti Khosla, Campaign Manager, World Wide Fund India.
Last year, the organisation was able to encourage saving of around 1200 mega watts of energy in India, "but this year we definitely plan to surpass this," points out Khosla.
Growing environmental threats - most recent devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile - have rung alarm for natural resource conservation at all levels.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called Earth Hour "both a warning and a beacon of hope."
"Climate change is a concern for each of us. Solutions are within our grasp and are ready to be implemented by individuals, communities, businesses and governments around the globe," Ban said in a statement.
The United Nations will be joining will join the initiative along with many other landmarks around the world.
However, several other groups in India have also shown a keen interest on the occasion in creating awareness in the masses regarding the dire need to preserve natural resources.
"Climate change is a discrepancy created by persistent human exploitation. Hence, its cure lies only in a consistent and united human initiative...individual awareness and action is the key to combat climate change," says Aditi Mehndiratta, head 'Sanrakshan', a nature conservation initiative of an NGO.
"The NGO has inspired lakhs of beneficiaries not only in India but across the globe to switch all their lights and electrical appliances. Along with this our followers would also sit in divine meditation on Earth Hour and pray for the strength of Mother Earth," adds Mehndiratta.
At the British Council High Commission in India, environmental films are being screened for the Earth Hour. "A film screening and photo exhibition is being organised in order to sensitise our staff and their family about the depleting state of environment. Apart from this, office lighting would be turned off from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm," says Dan Chugg, spokesperson of the Commission in India.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
