In Ottawa’s second year participating in Earth Hour, Mayor Larry O’Brien said he’s expecting an even bigger turnout.
“Last year, we were one of the first cities in Canada to support Earth Hour,” said O’Brien Thursday.
At 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, hundreds of millions of people will take part in what could be the biggest global movement ever.
“Earth Hour — held at 8:30 p.m. local time — is a unique opportunity for us all to demand action to combat climate change,” said James Leape, director general of WWF International. “From London to Beijing, from Cape Town to New York, in more than a thousand towns and cities, citizens will send a clear signal to the world’s leaders that they want to keep the lid on global warming.”
In Ottawa — in addition to residents and businesses that have indicated they will take part — the Prime Minister’s residence, Parliament Hill, city hall and city facilities will shut down non-essential lighting.
The majority of Ottawans “want to be a part of the solution in terms of solving the global warming problem,” O’Brien said.
In its inaugural Earth Hour event, Ottawa saved four per cent of energy – enough to power 50 homes for one month, said Linda Bruce of Hydro Ottawa.
O’Brien, who is visiting several elementary schools Friday to talk about Earth Hour, said there’s great enthusiasm for the event among youth.
“And that gives me great optimism.”
