Bangkok gets ready to go dark for Earth Hour on Saturday
Bangkokians are being urged to join other world metropolises in turning off their lights and unused appliances from 8.30 to 9.30pm on Saturday to mark Earth Hour.
Many cities across the world turn dark for an hour on March 25 every year as a symbolic gesture in the fight against global warming.
In the run-up to Earth Day, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt launched a campaign on Tuesday to reduce energy consumption. The campaign is being run in collaboration with World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Thailand and other partners.
Chadchart urged people in Bangkok, including businesses and city officials, to turn off unnecessary lights, like those for decoration, buildings and billboards this week to save energy. He also urged people to turn off their air conditioners and unplug any unnecessary appliances to reduce energy consumption.
“Bangkok will join over 7,000 cities in 190 countries to reduce energy usage and the emission of carbon dioxide, the main causes of global warming,” he said. “During last year’s event, the city was able to save 78 megawatts and cut down CO2 emissions by 20 tonnes, saving up to 176,172 baht worth of energy.”
The governor said that since the city began its Earth Hour campaign in 2008, it has saved 22,476 megawatts worth of electricity worth more than 81 million baht. The 15 Earth Hours observed so far have also reduced 12,255 tonnes of CO2.
For this year’s Earth Hour, Bangkok, WWF and other partners under the Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy for Southeast Asia (CASE) project, will hold an event called “Imagine for Earth – and Life – Friendly Energy”. The event will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 4.30pm to 9.30pm at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre Square in Pathum Wan district.
Meanwhile, lights will be turned off in five public locations in the city for an hour on Saturday. They are the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple, the Temple of Dawn, the Giant Swing, Rama VIII Bridge and Wat Saket or the Golden Mount Temple.
Businesses and buildings in all 50 districts of the city will also join by turning off their lights during the event. They include all Central department stores, CentralWorld, EmQuartier, Emporium, IconSiam, Fashion Island, Paradise Park, Bitec Bangna, Terminal 21, Gateway at Bangsue, Siam Cement Group, Baiyoke Tower, the Sukosol Hotel and Tipco Tower.
Residences on over 100 roads in Bangkok have also expressed their interest in turning off unnecessary lights for an hour on Saturday.
