When the lights go out over the V&A Waterfront on Saturday 28 March, load shedding will not be the reason. Instead, the property will be lending its support to the World Wildlife Foundation’s (WWF) international Earth Hour initiative.
By switching off non-essential lights between 8:30pm and 9:30pm, the V&A Waterfront will join cities, businesses and individuals around the world who are doing likewise. Other famous landmarks that recognise Earth Hour include Beijing’s Forbidden City, the Paris Eiffel Tower, London’s Buckingham Palace, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Sydney’s Opera House, Rio de Janeiro’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue on Sugar Loaf Mountain and our own Table Mountain.
This year, popular Cape Town comedian Mel Jones will be the MC for the event. Between 7.30pm and 8.30pm, the outdoor Amphitheatre will screen documentaries that provide more information about the WWF event and environmental sustainability.
At exactly 8.30pm all non-essential lights at the V&A Waterfront will be switched off, giving everyone gathered at the Amphitheatre the opportunity to enjoy a free starlit performance by the UCT Big Band and guest performers. Anyone wanting to expend their own personal energy can do so by participating in an Earth Hour Boot Camp Class on the Croquet Lawn from 8pm to 9.30pm. The class costs R150 per person and includes a goody bag. For more information, visit www.adventurebootcamp.co.za for more information.
V&A Waterfront CEO David Green said “Since 2008 the V&A has invested over R30-million in energy efficiency, water savings and waste management, so for us Earth Hour is so much more than simply a symbolic act. It’s a call to action for us all to make a positive difference, no matter how small the part we are playing appears to be. In previous years, our visitors were enthusiastic to participate in Earth Hour and we have every confidence that this year will be no different.”
Earth Hour was first initiated by the WWF in 2007. It has grown into the world’s largest environmental awareness initiative and, during 2013, it attracted participation from more than 7 001 cities and towns across 162 countries on seven continents, including around 3 395 landmarks, and reaching an estimated 1.8 billion people.
For further information about Earth Hour, visit www.wwf.org.za/earthhour.
