Turn Off Tonight For Earth Hour

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday March 29, 2008

By GREG ELLIS

INTEGRAL Energy's 2700 staff and 800,000 customers are being encouraged to switch off their lights and other electrical appliances for one hour tonight to help the Earth Hour campaign highlight the importance of combating climate change and promoting energy efficiency.

Earth Hour is a partnership between WWF-Australia and Fairfax Media.

Integral Energy Corporate environment manager Denise Corish said the energy provider sponsored the event last year and had decided to do the same again.

She said the company was also inviting members of the Illawarra community and its customers to do the same.

There may also be an opportunity to monitor how well we do. Those figures could be available next week.

People are being asked to switch off their lights and appliances from 8pm to 9pm tonight.

The same thing will happen at Nowra Showground during the Cancer Council's Relay for Life.

Denise said more than 20 cities in Australia and overseas would switch off their lights for an hour on Monday.

Last year 2.2 million Sydneysiders participated in Earth Hour, Denise said.

That is the equivalent of reducing Sydney's energy consumption by more than 10 per cent, or is effectively the same as taking 48,000 cars off the road for an hour.

But participating in Earth Hour is entirely voluntary and Integral Energy will not be turning off power to homes or businesses, street lights or public lighting.

Denise said Integral Energy customers could register their commitment to Earth Hour or get ideas on how to participate online at www.earthhour.org.

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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