Tel Aviv joins Earth Hour

By · December 20, 2007

Tel Aviv became the first Israeli city to join Earth Hour, a worldwide campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The initiative, which began with a blackout for one hour in Sydney, Australia, last March, aims to go global on Saturday, March 29, 2008, at 8 P.M. Twelve cities pledged this week to turn out their lights. Tel Aviv will be joined by four cities in Denmark, three cities in Australia, Manilla and the Philippines, Suva in Fiji, Toronto and Chicago.

“We are now at the point in time where we can no longer postpone the issue of climate change. Earth Hour is a beginning, and every city to join can help make a difference by taking responsibility to reduce emissions,” Tel Aviv’s mayor, Ron Huldai, said in a statement.

Earth Hour is an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund. During the inaugural Earth Hour last March, the lights of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge were switched off as 2.2 million Australians did the same in their homes, which reduced energy consumption by about 10 percent.