Just one hour can help change the world.
That was the idea behind Saturday’s Earth Hour, an event initiated by the World Wildlife Fund three years ago calling for people all over the world to turn off their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to conserve energy.
“In 2009, more than 4,000 cities in 87 countries went dark,” states myearthhour.org.
“Earth Hour is a great opportunity for all Boston residents to join city officials and other civic and business leaders in demonstrating how we are working together to reduce the risk of climate change and to showcase your individual contributions to the larger solution,” the City of Boston’s website stated. “Boston will be among over 400 cities world wide that have pledged to shut off lights for Earth Hour.”
The city partnered with Building Owners and Managers Association, said Environmental Assistant of Boston’s Environment Department Jacob Glickel in an interview Friday.
The CITGO sign and the Customs House Tower also participated by turning their lights off.
Sustainability@BU spokeswoman Susan Lebovits said lights would be off on both sides of Marsh Plaza, including the School of Theology, the tower at the College of Arts and Sciences and the light spire at the Photonics Center.
“Joining the global initiative to turn off your lights for one hour is casting a vote in favor of taking action on climate change,” she said.
However, not all Boston University students are familiar with the global effort to save energy.
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior Colleen Schad said she had heard about Earth Hour but did not know it was on Saturday.
“I think it is a good idea, but I wish everyone can do it all the time and not just an hour,” she said.
CAS senior Samantha Ducey also said she was knew about Earth Hour but was concerned that not many students knew about it.
“I think it would have more impact if people are aware,” she said, “I don’t know how effective it is as an energy mechanism.”
Karna Ray, also a CAS senior, said he had not previously known about the event.
“It is good for awareness, but it’s pretty arbitrary to think it will save energy in a large scale,” he said.
“Every effort of conservation is a must,” said College of Communication senior Nicandor Campos.
Even in daily life, Campos says he turns off the lights when they are not needed.
CAS sophomore Olga Zhukov said she knew about the event but did not take part last year because she wasn’t home.
“Although it is an hour, it shows how much energy we can save if we cut down the amount of energy we use,” she said. “I think everyone should do it.”
According to myearthhour.org, about one billion people participated in this year’s Earth Hour.
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