Think beyond switching off lights for an hour

If you can switch off your lights for Earth Hour, then you can also tweak your lifestyle and choose more sustainable options to tackle climate change.

This is the message that Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS-WWF) seek to spread ahead of Earth Hour on Saturday.

Dubai marks Earth Hour for the 1oth consecutive year between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday.

Several landmarks in the UAE, including Burj Khalifa and Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque, will switch off their lights.

Residents can also participate in the Earth Hour Walk organised by Dewa at the Bay Avenue Park by registering at www.dewaearthhour.com

The Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) will host a public event on Al Majaz waterfront from 5.30pm.

Earth Hour is an annual global movement that started in 2007. The grassroots campaign invites people to switch off lights for an hour on March 25 every year to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that are the main cause of global warming and climate change.

Dubai first marked the event in 2008 and all the other emirates have participated over the years.

Ida Tillisch, director-general of EWS-WWF, said this year’s campaign will not have a specific theme, but will encourage residents to observe Earth Hour at a more holistic level.

“The theme really is how we can tackle climate change by living more sustainably and turning off appliances we don’t need. It is also about reducing our consumption of plastic bottles, plastic bags, energy and water, all of these things will have to be curbed, apart from pushing for more renewable energy,” Tillisch told Gulf News.

“Earth Hour is a great time for everyone to reflect on what they can do as individuals to help tackle climate change and avoid the dangerous consequences of going beyond the two degrees Celsius threshold.”

For years, scientists have warned that if the planet’s average temperature rises by 2C more than temperatures in the pre-Industrial Revolution era, the world will experience catastrophic events.

Meanwhile, Dubai Airports’ efforts to reduce its carbon footprint resulted in energy savings of 5.17 million kWh in 2016 across Dubai International and Dubai World Central. This is equivalent to powering 235 homes for a full year.

The report was issued ahead of Dubai Airports’ participation in Earth Hour when all non-essential lights in both airports will be switched off for an hour.

The energy savings are the result of a range of initiatives including installation of solar panels on the Concourse D building that began operations with the opening of the new facility in February 2016

source : gulfnews