KOCHI: Thamasoma Jyotirgamaya (From darkness to light) would chime in every heart when over a billion people in 2,712 cities, towns and mofussils snuff out power at 8.30 p.m. on March 28 for an hour in a bid to save the earth from burning out forever as a result of global warming.
When vehicles are cranked up, lights turned on and gas stoves rekindled at 9.30 p.m., they would have contributed to the conservation of power and a fall in the emission of lethal Greenhouse gases. Among the many cities in India to join hands in the fight against climate change by observing Earth Hour 2009 is Kochi.
The event in the State is being organised by the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Energy Management Centre, Doordarsan, the Kerala State Electricity Board and voluntary organisations.
In Kochi, an event held by JCI Cochin (Junior Chamber International), IIChE (Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers) and SEEM (Society of Energy Engineers and Managers) will have volunteers cast ‘vote for earth’ at the Durbar Hall Grounds during the earth hour.
Spreading the word about the unique event and its importance is numerous websites and environmental organisations.
“If the current state of affairs carries on, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would skyrocket from the present 387 ppm (part per million) to 480 to 500 ppm. This when the safe level hovers at about 180 to 200 ppm. In due course, 400 million people worldwide would be rendered without food.
In India, 35 per cent of the people would not have water to drink,” says the campaign notice brought out by the Aluva-based Association for Environmental Protection.
It gives a call to stop operating all power-operated equipments during the Earth Hour. Begun in Sydney in 2007 when 2.2 million homes and businesses put out their lights for an hour, the WWF-organised movement has grown to be a global movement in just two years.
