Media release
Wellington, Wednesday 4 March 2009

“When turned off means being switched on”

Earth Hour momentum pulls in six more New Zealand centres.

Forty-two cities, towns and regional bodies across New Zealand have now committed to WWF’s Earth Hour™ 2009, with the additions this week of Northland Regional Council, Marlborough District Council, Geraldine and Woodbury townships, Central Otago District, Queenstown Lakes District Council and Dunedin City Council.

City Mayor Peter Chin says, "Dunedin was the first city in New Zealand to have its own street lighting. Now, over a century later we fully support the goals of the Earth Hour organisers at WWF, who aim to use the light switch to remind us of the need to care for our natural resources.”

“When turned off means being switched on, Dunedin will be there in both spirit and in practice," says Chin.

Chris Howe, Executive Director of WWF-New Zealand, says “We are very excited to add these new locations to the map of committed local bodies across the country.”

“With a little over three weeks to go, the signs are looking promising for a big step-up in prominence for Earth Hour 2009. It could become the biggest voluntary action event the world has ever witnessed, and we hope to reach 1 billion people in 1000 cities,” says Howe.

WWF’s Dairne Poole, New Zealand’s Earth Hour Project Director, says, “From the councils I have been talking to, it feels like a groundswell of enthusiasm is building across the country. Each new addition to the list is fantastic news.”

“Earth Hour is community event, and we are urging all New Zealanders to join the Earth Hour community, and turn off your lights and unnecessary appliances on Saturday 28 March at 8.30pm for one hour,” she says.

WWF is asking people to register their commitment to Earth Hour at www.earthhour.org/newzealand.

WWF’s national sponsors for Earth Hour 2009 in New Zealand are
TV3, More FM, Trade Me and Toyota Prius.
www.earthhour.org

About Earth Hour

Earth Hour is a global WWF climate change initiative. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30pm to show their support for action on climate change. The event began in Sydney in 2007, when 2 million people switched off their lights. In 2008, more than 50 million people around the globe participated. In 2009, Earth Hour aims to reach out to 1 billion people in 1,000 cities.

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, 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.

New Zealand centres and regions participating in 2009:

1. Northland Regional Council
2. Chatham Islands,
3. Auckland Regional Council,
4. Auckland City Council,
5. Rodney District Council,
6. Waitakere City Council,
7. North Shore City Council,
8. Papakura District Council,
9. Franklin District Council,
10. Manukau City Council,
11. Hamilton City Council,
12. Environment Waikato,
13. Waikato District Council,
14. South Waikato District Council,
15. Waipa District Council,
16. Thames-Coromandel District Council,
17. Matamata-Piako District Council,
18. Waitomo District Council,
19. Rotorua District Council,
20. Tauranga City Council,
21. Taupo District Council,
22. Masterton District Council,
23. Gisborne District Council,
24. Hastings District Council,
25. Palmerston North City Council,
26. Upper Hutt City Council,
27. Greater Wellington Regional Council,
28. Wellington City Council,
29. Kapiti District Council,
30. Marlborough District Council
31. Tasman District Council,
32. Nelson District Council,
33. Selwyn District Council,
34. Hurunui District Council,
35. Stratford District Council,
36. Christchurch City Council,
37. Environment Canterbury,
38. Geraldine Woodbury townships,
39. Central Otago District,
40. Wanaka,
41. Queenstown Lakes District Council,
42. Dunedin City Council.

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