Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007 and has grown to be a global phenomenon with iconic landmarks such as the Great Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, Buckingham Palace, Beijing's Olympic Stadium and over 1,000 cities and towns around the world committed to switching off their lights for Earth Hour 2010.

An initiative of WWF-Australia and Fairfax Media, Earth Hour calls on individuals, households and businesses in Sydney and around the globe to turn off their lights for one hour on Saturday, 27 March 2010 between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm.

Earth Hour promotes the simple action of turning off non-essential lighting for one hour to demonstrate a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to show that individuals can make a difference in the fight against climate change.  This year we aim to make ‘Earth Hour Every Hour’.

The event is voluntary and relates to non-essential lighting – not lighting that impacts on public safety.  Earth Hour will therefore not involve street lights, train stations or other public areas.

As the NSW Government is a major sponsor of Earth Hour and is leading by example in sustainable energy use and greenhouse gas reduction, I urge all NSW Government agencies to take part in Earth Hour 2010 and to put in place measures to ensure the lights are off – where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

The Sydney Opera House, Parliament House, Harbour Bridge, Art Gallery, Taronga Zoo, Sydney Tower and Luna Park are going dark for this global event. Turning off lights in Government buildings will show the community our commitment to reducing carbon pollution.

All agencies are encouraged to register their activities for Earth Hour at www.earthhour.org and visit the NSW Government’s Save Power website at www.savepower.nsw.gov.au. The site offers practical energy and money saving information as well as debunking some of the myths around power use.

Kristina Keneally MP
Premier

This Memoranda has not superseded any other Memoranda