Earth Hour - Saturday 26 March 2011

Hood Street during Earth Hour 2009

In 2010 Earth Hour became the world's largest ever event!

• Volunteer for Earth Hour 2011

What began as a campaign to get Sydneysiders to turn their lights off, has grown to become one of the world’s biggest climate change initiatives. In 2010, at 8.30pm on March 27, people around the world turned their lights off for one hour – Earth Hour.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia with 2.2 million homes and businesses turning their lights off for one hour. Only a year later and this event had become a global sustainability movement. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.  In New Zealand the Beehive, Christchurch Cathedral, Sky Tower, and Hamilton have all switched off to show their support.

In 2009 Hamilton took part in Earth Hour for the first time and the event switched off the world with over 4000 towns and cities in over 80 countries switching off, all joining together in a global effort to show that its possible to take action on global warming. 51% of all New Zealanders switched off for Earth Hour, and Hamilton led the way nationally with 10.3% of electricity saved over that hour - indicating a very high participation rate in the city.  26.45 Meagwatt Hour was saved in Hamilton, the same amount as powering 260,000 100 watt light bulbs for an hour, or enough energy to power between 10,000-15,000 homes for one hour.

Earth Hour 2010 was even bigger with cities in over 120 countries taking part.  It was an even bigger call to stand up, to take responsibility and to get involved in working towards a sustainable future. Hamilton was the first New Zealand city to sign up for Earth Hour 2010 and marked the event in the central city with a market, entertainment, and an hour's darkness with Hood, Victoria and Garden Place all switching off.  Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to The Americas once again stood in darkness.

• View the official Earth Hour 2010 video on YouTube - it features Hamilton.
• Official New Zealand Earth Hour website

Local Earth Hour Ambassadors

2010 Hamilton Earth Hour Ambassadors

• Rob Hamill - trans-atlantic rower

Rob is a huge supporter of Earth Hour and we are pleased to have Rob back for a second year as an Earth Hour Ambassador.  In 2009 Rob had the important job of flicking the big switch to plunge Hamilton in darkness.

• Pete Bethune - Earth Race / Ady Gil skipper

Pete has spent recent time in Antartica and is well-known as a carbon neutral campaigner who skippered the Earth Race around the globe.

• All Hukanui School students

In 2010 Hukanui School students are for the first time using their 'Living Room', an eco-classroom that the students designed themselves which has half the carbon footprint of a typical classroom.  Amazing stuff!

Earth Hour 2010

Hamilton was the first New Zealand city to sign up for Earth Hour 2010 ...

Hamilton officially hosted Earth Hour 2010 in the central city working closely with businesses and hosting an all day event in Garden Place.  Thousands visited the event throughout the day, which included a market and special entertainment including Zion Hill and MNB feat. NZ Idol winner Ben Lummis.

Hundreds of Hamilton residents made their enviromental pledge on a specifically designed clothes line in Garden Place.

To mark Earth Hour Hood Street, Victoria Street and Garden Place streetlights all switched off for the hour and many of Hamilton's restaurants and bars marked Earth Hour in their own unique way.    During this time fire dancers, cook island drummers and pop-opera group Lyrica entertained the crowds in a candlelit concert.  The excitement was captured by TV3 and featured on 3News the following night.

One of the most poignant parts of the evening was prior to the switch off when a Hukanui School Earth Hour Ambassador Fynn Bodley-Davies read out a speech to the crowds in Garden Place.  His speech was moving and presented a clear challenge on why we need to be looking after the environment better - 'as there is no planet B!'.

Energy saving figures showed that Hamilton, for the second year running, was one of New Zealand's leading energy saver during the hour with an 8% saving in  electricity over Earth Hour.    National polling shows Hamilton residents' participation in Earth Hour grew from 48% in 2009 to 60% in 2010.  This is the highest particpation rate amongst nearly 50 New Zealand councils. 

Earth Hour 2009

During Earth Hour 2009 Hamilton led New Zealand by plunging into darkness ...

Earth Hour 2009 was officially hosted at the Balloons over Waikato Earth Hour Nightglow at the University of Waikato.  A crowd of 80,000 helped mark the event, with a musical performance by Pluto and a special Earth Hour hot air balloon.

The 'Earth Hour Solar Lounge' provided the hub of the event, where residents could also sign up to win a hybrid car that was on display.

Over 1000 Hamilton residents also made their enviromental pledge on a specifically designed cube which was hosted in the solar lounge.

This cube was 1.2m x 1.2m x 1.2m and was made of 100% recycled and repulpable fibre board.  Over 1000 pledges were made on the cube during Earth Hour, from switching lights off and starting a compost bin, through to being more conscious to what kind of makeup people purchased.

After Earth Hour the cube went on tour around Hamilton Libraries, Waikato Museum and WEL Networks where it recieved a lot of attention, and was then broken up into six separate panels.  These panels now permanently reside at Hamilton East School, Hukanui School, Hillcrest Normal School, Peachgrove Intermediate, Melville Intermediate and Rhode Street School as a historical record of the pledges Hamilton made for Earth Hour 2009.  In some cases the cube has been composted and gifted back to earth, taking our city's pledges with it.

Whilst in the central city many of Hamilton's restaurants and bars marked Earth Hour in their own unique way, with the Hood Street lights switching off for the hour.  During this time a fire dancer provided entertainment for the crowds.

Energy saving figures showed that Hamilton led the way nationally with a 10.3% saving in  electricity over Earth Hour - indiciating a very high participation rate in the city.  26.45 Meagwatt Hour was saved in Hamilton, the same amount as powering 260,000 100 watt lightbulbs for an hour, or enough energy to power between 10,000-15,000 homes for one hour.

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Strategy and Research
Level 2, Council Offices
Garden Place
Hamilton City Council
Private Bag 3010
Hamilton 3240
Phone: 838 6483
Fax: 838 6464

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