Earth Hour 2009 & Climate Change - 28 March

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. For more information about WWF in South Africa, visit www.wwf.org.za


ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Earth Hour 2009 is a global initiative by the World Wide Fund for Nature which acts as a worldwide call to action to every individual, business and community to take a stand against Climate Change. To show your support, sign up now and commit to switching off your lights for one hour on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30pm. Originating in Sydney, Australia in 2007, the Earth Hour initiative proved more than worthwhile when it witnessed 2 million people coming together to switch off their lights for one hour for this vital cause.

Following on from this success, 2008 saw an estimated 50 million people taking part. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

This year, 2009, Earth Hour will see the lights go out on some of the most recognised attractions on the planet, including Cape Town’s Table Mountain, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Merlion in Singapore, Sydney Opera House, the iconic 6-star hotel, the Burj al Arab, in Dubai, Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and the world’s tallest constructed building, the Taipei 101.

Earth Hour 2009 has one major aim: to unite the citizens of the world in the fight against climate change in order to convince governments and world leaders that our planet cannot wait any longer. There simply isn’t enough time, and therefore 2009 is a colossally important, if not the most critical year, to take action on climate change. 2009 is the year we decide the future of our planet.

Discover your power, switch it off for Earth Hour - SIGN UP NOW




Building Strategies

Design is the first strategy that should be used to reduce the need for fossil-fuel energy. Within this category there are a number of design techniques that are no-cost or low-cost. These strategies can dramatically reduce your home’s need for fossil-fuel energy.

A number of buildings built in the late 70’s and early 80’s, as part of a US Department of Energy study, achieved energy reductions between 50 and 80 percent just through efficient design techniques. The following are just some examples of energy-efficient design strategies that you should discuss with your architect.

Air Sealing
Proper Insulation
Passive Solar
Daylighting
Natural Ventilation
Landscaping
Material Selection