VARIOUS-EARTH HOUR Japan, Philippines and Hong Kong take part in Earth Hour

Record ID: 483402

  • Title: VARIOUS-EARTH HOUR Japan, Philippines and Hong Kong take part in Earth Hour
  • Date: 28th March 2015
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 28, 2015) (REUTERS) MAN TAKING PHOTO OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS AND TOKYO TOWER TOKYO TOWER BEHIND CHERRY BLOSSOMS OBSERVATION DECK AT TOKYO TOWER TOKYO TOWER'S LIGHTS SWITCHING OFF LIFT DESCENDING INSIDE TOKYO TOWER (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TOKYO RESIDENT, JIN NIRIKI, SAYING: "I actually unplug electric plugs from their sockets when not in use and have changed my lights to LED lights." VARIOUS OF NIRIKI HOLDING BIRTHDAY CAKE NIRIKI AND WORK FRIENDS CELEBRATING NIRIKI'S BIRTHDAY IN FRONT OF TOKYO TOWER DARKENED FOR EARTH HOUR HONG KONG, CHINA (MARCH 28, 2015) (REUTERS) HONG KONG CENTRAL SKYLINE TURNING OFF LIGHTS TOP OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE CENTRE IN DARKNESS SKYLINE IN DARKNESS VARIOUS OF DARKENED SKYLINE VARIOUS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF WWF-HONG KONG, EDWARD HO, LOOKING AT HONG KONG SKYLINE FERRY SAILING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF WWF-HONG KONG, EDWARD HO, SAYING: "Our study, our WWF study shows that if everybody in the world followed the Hong Kong living style, we need three point one earths just to sustain our lifestyle. So obviously we are overspending. So we have to keep reminding our people what can be done. Although it's just one hour it symbolises a change of behaviour. No matter in the way that you are living, you are eating, you are buying your clothes, transporting. Just think about what you can do for the earth to save the world." VARIOUS OF CENTRAL HONG KONG LIT UP VARIOUS OF WOMAN TAKING PHOTOS MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MARCH 28, 2015) (REUTERS) STAGE IN FRONT OF QUEZON MEMORIAL CIRCLE
  • Embargoed: 12th April 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1WFQY2OWU0153DVKPNTZ251A7
  • Story Text: The lights went down in parts of Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines on Saturday (March 28), as part of a climate change awareness campaign spanning multiple cities around the world.
    In Japan, the capital city's iconic Tokyo Tower was plunged into darkness to mark WWF Earth Hour.
    The global campaign encourages individuals and businesses to turn off non-essential lights for one hour from 0830 to 0930 pm locally on the last Saturday of March as a symbol for their commitment to raising awareness to climate change.
    Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007 asking households and businesses to switch off their lights for 60 minutes to curb down global carbon pollution and promote climate change awareness and it now spans more than 7000 cities world-wide.
    While the event was not widely known in Japan, some Tokyo residents say they have become environmentally conscious thanks to the the massive earthquake of 2011.
    The 9 magnitude earthquake which triggered a huge tsunami and a nuclear crisis, has forced many to think of ways of conserving energy.
    Jin Niriki, who was enjoying a small birthday party with work friends under Tokyo Tower, said she has already changed her habits to save energy.
    "I actually unplug electric plugs from their sockets when not in use and have changed my lights to LED bulbs," she said adding she wished more buildings in Tokyo participated in this event.
    Elsewhere, in Hong Kong around 4000 businesses, buildings and schools turned off their lights to mark WWF Earth Hour.
    Hong Kong's WWF chairman, Edward Ho, said that taking part in last year's event showed that by simply dimming the light for one hour Hong Kong's energy consumption was reduced by more than four percent, avoiding the emission of 153 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
    "Our study, our WWF study shows that if everybody in the world followed the Hong Kong living style, we need three point one earths just to sustain our lifestyle. So obviously we are overspending. So we have to keep reminding our people what can be done. Although it's just one hour it symbolises a change of behaviour. No matter in the way that you are living, you are eating, you are buying your clothes, transporting. Just think about what you can do for the earth to save the world," he said.
    And another Asian nation saw people marking Earth Hour, with campaigners in the Philippines taking part in a fitness dance routine for a healthier and cleaner lifestyle.
    Hundreds joined an hour-long aerobic dance exercises wearing glow in the dark shirts and accessories after they switched off the lights at a park in downtown Manila for 60 minutes.
    Lucille Sering, Vice Chairperson of the Philippine climate Change Commission, said caring for one's body and the environment goes hand-in-hand.
    "All of these things are meant to encourage everybody that this Zumba that they're trying to promote, the energy efficiency that they're trying to promote, are really just ways and means to encourage everybody that we are to address climate change. It coincides with caring for yourself, and that it translates to caring to something else," she said.
    The Philippines has been one of the movement's biggest supporters and has led the participation rate from 2009 to 2013, according to the World Wildlife Fund For Nature.
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