Bangalore: At 8.30 p.m. on Saturday, 800 cities across 85 countries will “use the light switch to vote for Earth”. Several people and corporates in Bangalore too will participate in Earth Hour, a global initiative of World Wildlife Fund, and cast their vote against climate change.
The initiative that began in 2007 in Sydney as a one-city campaign has received tremendous support. In 2008, over 50 million people in 371 cities across 35 countries participated by switching off their lights for an hour.
Several corporates, including Infosys, Wipro, Microsoft, Intel, ITC Welcomgroup , Indian Hotels, Housing and Urban Development Corporation, HSBC, Google, Standard Chartered India, Hewlett Packard India, ING Vysya and The Indus Entrepreneurs, have volunteered to switch off lights at that hour.
Interestingly, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has appealed to its consumers to support the cause. Bescom General Manager (HRD) B.N. Sathyaprema Kumar said employees of the utility have decided to observe Earth Hour by switching off lights in their offices (barring those used for security purposes) as well as residences.
Anirudh Mavanoor, an international property consultant, said he had been spreading the word about Earth Hour among his friends and trying to get them to voluntarily switch off lights. “We need to act now and there may not be any second chances. A lot of people I have discussed this with have shown an inclination to participate. We must vote for the Earth. I have decided to switch off the mains to support the cause even if Bescom decides to enforce load shedding for that one hour,” he said.
ITC Welcomgroup, in a release said, “Climate change is an issue of huge importance. There will be posters in the public areas and hotel staff would wear badges. Guests will be encouraged to leave their rooms for that one hour. While all safety equipment and emergency lights will remain functional, non-essential lighting will be shut off or downed to a minimum.”
