It’s the final countdown to Earth Hour

New Zealanders will be among the first in the world to celebrate Earth Hour.

Only Samoa will switch off first, before New Zealand and Antarctica lead the hundreds of millions of people participating worldwide on Saturday 29 March at 8.30pm, local time everywhere.

Earth Hour is the world’s largest movement for the planet, with more than 150 countries and territories participating this year. When lights switch off for an hour at the Sky Tower,Auckland Museum and Parliament Buildings these New Zealand landmarks will be leading a raft of global icons including the Eiffel Tower, Brandenburg Gate, Tower Bridge, Red Square and Empire State Building.

Kiwis will celebrate Earth Hour in their homes and at community events around the country.

Auckland will host New Zealand’s first post-carbon picnic with shwopping (swapping your pre-loved clothes and things) a sandwich party, selfies for the planet and fire dancing.

In Tauranga, there will be an off the grid community event featuring a concert, fire dancing, drumming and an electricity-free food market. The stage will be powered using a solar system, and recycling stations will be in place and all food stalls will provide compostable cutlery.

In Geraldine, a unique community event called the Future Living Festival is taking place. It aims at informing, inspiring and entertaining people while keeping a sustainable future in mind. Event highlights include a magical lantern walk, the Earth Hour parade, panel discussions on sustainability, 5x5x5 film festival, workshops and more.

Residents in Selwyn have been celebrating Earth Hour with sustainability events, including a panel discussion on genetic engineering, and a video competition. Tomorrow they will gather for a candle lit barn dance with an unplugged band playing.

Dr. Sue Jarvis, Chairperson of Lincoln Envirotown, said: “The Selwyn community is passionate about Earth Hour because there is no doubt that climate change is upon us and it is imperative we all take individual actions to reduce our carbon emissions. For us, Earth Hour is a way of publicising this and it’s also great fun, especially seeing all ages involved from pre-schoolers to people in their eighties”.

Thousands of New Zealanders will mark the annual event in their homes, taking an hour to reflect on the steps we can take towards a sustainable future for the planet.

Chris Howe, WWF-New Zealand’s Executive Director said: “Earth Hour’s popularity comes from its ability to bringing people together both in their local communities and as part of a global movement for change.

“Earth Hour is so much more than a lights off event; it is a symbol of our shared commitment to protect the planet. It’s enduring success is that it inspires people to go beyond the hour and make changes to live more sustainably,” added Mr Howe.

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