File #: 15-0035    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Agendas Status: Passed
File created: 2/9/2015 In control: Board of Aldermen
On agenda: 3/17/2015 Final action: 3/17/2015
Title: Earth Hour Resolution PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to present a resolution supporting Earth Hour.
Attachments: 1. Earth Hour Resolution_15, 2. Earth Hour PSA_15
TITLE: Title
Earth Hour Resolution
 
PURPOSE:  The purpose of this agenda item is to present a resolution supporting Earth Hour.
body
DEPARTMENT: Planning
 
CONTACT INFORMATION: Randy Dodd 919 918-7326
 
INFORMATION: Earth Hour, sponsored by World Wildlife Fund, has cemented itself as the largest voluntary action for the environment, with hundreds of millions of people around the world coming together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple-turning off their lights for one hour. The entire world witnessed the Earth Hour phenomenon sweep across the planet in its eighth year, as WWF's Earth Hour 2014 broke all records of mass participation, mobilizing hundreds of millions of people to become everyday Super Heroes for the planet.  In 2013, the event was observed in more than 7000 cities, towns and municipalities in more than 150 countries and territories, with "lights out" as the backdrop to a multitude of "beyond the hour" activities and initiatives. In 2012, the campaign launched the "I Will If You Will" campaign, with more than 200,000 individuals accepting a challenge, and astronaut André Kuipers observing the lights off event from the International Space Station. Also, just months after the end of the Libyan uprising, two teenagers in Tripoli organized the very first Earth Hour in Libya. For Earth Hour 2010, polling in the United States showed that an estimated 90,000,000 Americans participated as "lights out" included iconic landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, the Las Vegas Strip, the Empire State Building and Niagara Falls. In Chicago, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) developed lighting guidelines to reduce light pollution, and reduce the carbon footprint of downtown buildings. Mount Rushmore in South Dakota has started powering down each night around 9 p.m. instead of 11 p.m. In Vietnam, electricity demand fell 500,000 kWh during Earth Hour 2010, which was three times larger than in 2009. About 4000 cities participated, including landmarks such as Big Ben, the Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, the Parthenon, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Forbidden City. Celebrity Earth Hour ambassadors have included South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, President of Vietnam Nguyễn Minh Triết, and London Mayor Boris Johnson. Earth Hour has garnered support from many corporations including Coca-Cola Enterprises, Wells Fargo, IKEA, HSBC, PwC, Accenture and Nokia Siemens Networks.  Sydney's Herald Sun equated the power savings in the Sydney central business district to "taking 48,613 cars off the road for 1 hour." More information about Earth Hour, including how Earth Hour began, what has been accomplished, and what is in store for 2015, is available at www.earthhour.org <http://www.earthhour.org>.
 
 
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: There is no staff or fiscal impact.
 
RECOMMENDATION:r It is recommended that the Board adopt the attached resolution.