This year South Africa will be participating in two of the biggest events of 2010. We will be hosting the world’s biggest sporting event, which will be the largest event ever held by South Africa and, we will also be participating in the world’s greatest show of mass action Earth Hour.
This year South Africa will be participating in two of the biggest events of 2010. We will be hosting the world’s biggest sporting event, which will be the largest event ever held by South Africa and, we will also be participating in the world’s greatest show of mass action Earth Hour.
This Saturday night at 8.30pm two of the newly-completed World Cup stadiums Durban’s Moses Mabhida and the Cape Town stadium will be darkened.
This year, Earth Hour has gained significant support with Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban and more than 100 companies, organisations, educational institutions and more than 5 000 individual pledges.
There will be a parade in Durban, as well as Dr Morné du Plessis, CEO of WWF in South Africa, flicking a 1.8 metre-high switch in Cape Town to douse the lights of the stadium and Table Mountain.
The hope is that the simple switching off of non-essential lighting will “send a powerful message to leaders that the time to act on climate change is now.
We need to drive home the realisation that climate change affects the poor and has direct implications for economic growth,” says Du Plessis.
Regarding the failure of the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December, he says, “We have to show world leaders that we are serious about tackling climate change and that we want them to deliver a fair, effective and binding climate deal.”
Earth Hour, in their recent press release, calls for individuals to join and pledge support and commitment to the reduction of carbon footprints by signing up at www. earthhour.org.za; to switch off the lights of their homes on 27 March between 8.30pm and 9.30pm and to spread the message to friends and family.
