Although one hour a year is clearly not enough, it’s a good start as a symbolic act to raise awareness about climate change… which is why the City of Cape Town is supporting the international awareness event Earth Hour as part of a range of electricity- and energy-efficiency efforts, and encourages you to do the same. (Click here to see the promotional video.)
During Earth Hour on Saturday 27 March, millions of people around the world will turn off their lights between 20:30 and 21:30 pm to raise awareness and show support for climate change action.
[ad#Google Adsense 125×125 Blog Post]The City has called for all lights on Table Mountain to be switched off at the time, and will try to ensure that no lights are left on (or turned on) in municipal buildings, either.
Earth Hour is a global World Wide Fund for Nature climate change initiative. The event began in Sydney in 2007, when two million people switched off their lights. In 2008, more than 50 million people around the world participated. In 2010, Earth Hour aims to include support from 1 billion people in 1 000 cities.
South Africa and Cape Town have very high carbon footprints, mainly because our electricity is generated using low-grade coal which creates air pollution (including carbon and other greenhouse gases) when it’s burned. We are also facing many years of electricity supply shortage, and rising prices. Using electricity more efficiently is one of the most responsible, cheapest, easiest ways to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce the risk of power cuts.
Later in 2010 the City will launch an Electricity Saving Campaign, calling on Capetonians to collectively use at least 10% less electricity. The campaign will start with a focus on smart ways to save on water heating, which is the biggest single electricity user in homes, using about 40% of electricity. Normal electric geysers (or hot water cylinders) are usually the biggest power guzzlers.
The City leads a range of other initiatives to encourage electrical energy efficiency. Energy Efficiency Forums have been set up for large commercial and industrial electricity consumers. The City’s Youth Environmental School (YES) programme already reaches about 1 600 schools per year, and ‘Smart Living’ programmes reach thousands of public and private sector staff members and residents.
Public lighting, traffic lights and the City’s own large office buildings are being upgraded to be more energy efficient. The City is developing Green Building Guidelines; an energy efficient water heating by-law has been prepared; and the City is working on a programme to support the mass roll-out of solar water heaters.
For more information about Earth Hour visit www.wwf.org.za.
