Talisay urged to observe Earth Hour

CEBU, Philippines – Talisay City Councilor Antonio Bacaltos Jr. is asking Talisaynons to join the world in observing the Earth Hour by doing a ceremonial switching off of lights on March 28 from 8:30 to 9:30 in the evening.

In a proposed resolution No. 2015-10-14, Bacaltos, who is the chairman of the Committee on Environment, requested all the 22 barangay captains to encourage all households, establishments and all other institutions in their respective barangays to fully and actively participate in the worldwide initiative.

"This campaign is a worldwide initiative on how individuals, communities, businesses and governments can address the eminent threat of global warning. As a symbolic gesture to fight the threat of global warming, every household, establishment and all institutions are requested to switch off their lights for one hour from 8:30 to 9:30 in the evening," Bacaltos said.

"Aside from the symbolic switching off of the lights, all barangays of the City of Talisay can also become climate champions by promoting renewed ways and practices of initiating change which can include simple environmental project like planting of trees, cleaning of the immediate environment and taking care of all our rivers and watersheds," he added.

The Earth Hour is an annual global campaign to see hundreds of millions of people from different races, religion and culture on what can be done all over the world to combat climate change.

Earth Hour is a worldwide movement for the planet organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature.

According to an online source, the event is held worldwide annually encouraging participants to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the last Saturday in March, as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.

It was famously started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007.

Since then it has grown to engage more than 7,000 cities and towns worldwide.