Well, we did it. On Saturday, March 29, thousands of Phoenix residents showed their commitment to the environment by turning off their lights for Earth Hour. If you saw any of the national TV coverage, it reminded me of the stories we see throughout the day on December 31 each year. Earth Hour happened in each city and country at 8 p.m. local time, so, like New Year’s Eve, people in Sydney, Australia experienced the start of their event 17 hours earlier than we did in Phoenix. And then the 24-hour news channels showed, not as the ball dropped, but as the lights dimmed around the world. Phoenix residents joined millions of people on seven continents, from Albania to Zimbabwe, Bosnia to Uzbekistan, Canada to Uruguay. The city government buildings in Dublin went dark for an hour. So did the Coleseum in Rome. And the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Sears Tower in Chicago. In Phoenix, the US Airways Center went dark, as did every other building marquee on the downtown Phoenix skyline. Although there was an exhibition game at Chase Field and the temperature was perfect to play ball under an open roof, the Diamondbacks were real team players in Earth Hour. As the giant roof began to retract, the PA announcer explained to the fans inside that they were honoring Earth Hour by closing the roof and blocking out the bright stadium lights. For anyone wondering if this all was a waste of energy, the point was to show that each one of us can save energy and make a difference in cutting carbon emissions. I know from being out and about talking to so many people every day, that many feel powerless to do anything meaningful about an issue as huge as climate change. But the message behind Earth Hour was that each of us can do our part – just by taking whatever small, simple steps work for us and our family. Some people used the hour to change out their light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights. Others made a list of appliances they can unplug because they’re not required for 24/7 use. One family told me they invited neighbors over for a patio party lit by LED-candles. Another resident told me how her 13-year-old twins went around the neighborhood, knocking on doors and reminding people to “turn out” (the lights) for Earth Hour. Whether it was Diamondbacks and Chase Field executives agreeing to close the roof during a game, Stoudemire’s and Bar Smith serving “eco-tinis” with glow sticks, or the Arizona Science Center providing telescopes for stargazers during that hour, the cooperation, enthusiasm and creativity of Phoenix businesses and residents never fails to surprise me. But it always makes me so proud. I happen to believe the science that shows climate change is a threat. But, even if you doubt the “proof” behind global warming, how can you be against doing whatever we can to protect and improve our water, air and land? I know that, for my kids, I want to leave this world better than I found it. I want to thank the World Wildlife Fund for reminding us of this, by organizing the international “Earth Hour.” I especially want to thank all our local partners – APS, SRP, Valley Forward, and all the major corporations, small businesses and individuals who participated. Once again, you all showed that, in Phoenix, we have an attitude of “can do” as well as “we care.”
Thanks for turning out for Earth Hour
