Residents will be excused for thinking they are experiencing load-shedding between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on 25 March.
People across the world – including Johannesburg – have been requested to switch off their lights and appliances during this period to mark Earth Hour. This is a symbolic show of unity against a scourge that is threatening the very existence of the planet – climate change.
The City of Johannesburg (CoJ), in partnership with the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) will celebrate this event by switching off the lights of iconic buildings and landmarks, including the Nelson Mandela Bridge, Metro Centre and the city’s headquarters in Braamfontein, in support of the global initiative.
Members of the South African Property Owners Association have also been challenged by the CoJ, GBCSA and WWF to switch off lights and appliances in all their buildings to show their support.
The Executive Mayor of CoJ, councillor Herman Mashaba, stated that the city is committed to the Earth Hour initiative and encouraged residents to be mindful of their own carbon footprint. “If every person in Johannesburg were to turn off their lights during Earth Hour this year, the savings in respect of reduced energy usage would go a long way to reducing the City’s carbon footprint,” he said.
The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services, councillor Nico de Jager will also take part in the celebrations by having a candle-lit dinner at Mandela Square with his management team. “By doing this, we will do our part to raise awareness for this important event,” he said.
City employees will not be forgotten and can take part in the campaign by participating in the social media team’s online competition. Social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will be used to call on residents to post pictures and videos of their Earth Hour stories. According to Dorah Modise, the Chief Executive Officer of GBCSA, Earth Hour has developed into much more than just switching off your lights for an hour. “It’s about combating climate change and going beyond the hour through daily decisions aimed at conserving our natural resources and being informed in order to spread awareness about opportunities for collective action,” she said.
If you want to participate in this initiative and are not sure how to go about it, here are some fun ideas:
• Join a guided night tour of the Johannesburg Zoo
• Camp out in your back garden with a camp fire and marshmallows
• Go old school and spend time with family and friends playing card and board games like we did before the invention of television
• Share a romantic candle-lit dinner with your loved ones
• Star-gaze in your own garden. You do not need a telescope – darkness, a blanket and picnic basket are more than enough for a perfect star-gazing hour
• Try doing some candle-lit yoga
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