EARTH HOUR  An initiative of the World Wildlife Fund, the inaugural Earth Hour was held in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million Sydneysiders, 2,100 businesses and the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge switched off for just one hour to highlight climate change. Last year in 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries across the world– the greatest mass participation event in history took place, when over one billion people took action and switched off. Earth Hour 2010 continues as a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community. A call to stand up, to show leadership and be responsible for our future. Pledge your support here and turn off your lights for one hour, Earth Hour, 8.30pm, Saturday 27th March 2010. 
LIGHTS OUT! 
Ireland was the first European country to take part in Earth Hour. In 2009, as our National landmarks were symbolically plunged into darkness - Eirgrid noted the equivalent of over 700,000 lights being switched off throughout Ireland at a time when the national team was playing a vital world cup qualifying match! This year, we hope to do even better! 
TRAD NIGHT BY CANDLELIGHT This year, we would like to mark the occasion a uniquely Irish way with an event which we hope will take off all around the country and become one of the more remarkable events of 2010. Local establishments the length and breadth of the country are invited to join in the celebrations this year. Visit changeblog.ie for more info and to download a poster or register with awareness@environ.ie for full-size (A2) posters and to have your local participating establishment's name listed on our blog. We hope anyone hosting an event (which can be in any location) will send details of what happened to awareness@environ.ie and we will highlight them as best we can on our blog and on our next eZine. The aim is to highlight the past and remember old traditions which seem more valuable now than ever. To a past when all food was locally produced, when old things were reused and broken things repaired, when people swapped or shared and nothing was wasted - when your local community was your support and your connection to the world. As the world prepares to switch off all non-essential lighting once more, we would like to celebrate the event as only Ireland can, with a.. "Trad Night by Candlelight" "So bring along your Voice. Bring along your Whistle, Guitar, your Pipes or your Fiddle - come along and enjoy the Craic. Absorb the atmosphere of old and look forward to a brighter Future" 
TRAD NIGHT LAUNCH - TEMPLE BAR 
The launch of the Trad Night was held on the 22nd of March in the world-famous "Oliver St John Gogarty's" in Temple Bar. Temple Bar will be hopping on the 27th, with many establishments committed to holding an event. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley T.D. was delighted to kick-off proceedings, noting how the lower lighting complimented the music and ideals of the event - while Kieran Hanrahan, respected musician and host of RTÉ's 'Céilí House' was delighted with the level of support shown by Temple Bar and all establishments, musicians and music-lovers taking part nationally in such an important global event. 
MAKE A LANTERN 
The WWF and the global campaign have created a novel idea for the event this year - the 'Earth Hour Lantern Project'. Have fun designing a unique lantern and send it to your friends to remind them to switch off for Earth Hour. If you have any queries, please contact awareness@environ.ie or call either 053 911 7345
www.panda.org Image ©Andy Davies from original image ©Mark Gunther/WWF Canon | 
