Back to the Earth Hour: on March 31 an hour in the dark for the earth!

by Francesca Morra

In the year that the United Nations has dedicated to Accessing Sustainable Energy and the approach of the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, has begun the countdown to Earth Hour 2012: on March 31 from 20.30 to 21.30 will be turning off the lights around the world for the sixth consecutive year! The WWF's famous campaign to fight climate change and sustainable, resulting in an exciting trip around the world in the dark, through all time zones, making use of their global network involving people, cities, institutions and businesses.

The Italian national rugby inaugurated the roundup of Italian ambassador with their video for the campaign. It was projected on large screens in the Olympic pre-match of the Six Nations. The team of the testimonial is very large: you can find, among others, the names of Paola Saluzzi, Beppe Braida, Francesco Totti, Marco Mengoni, Massimiliano Rosolino, Paola Maugeri, Camila Raznovich, Francesco Facchinetti and the children mascot Pocoyo.

The government will be involved with the initiative City Challenge WWF, the international challenge that will reward the good practices of urban sustainability at 360°: are more than 170 large and small Italian municipalities participating. Even companies will give their contribution in reducing its CO2 emissions by joining the "Business Travel Free Week", an interesting initiative that from 26 to 30 March will see the participants make remote and audio conferences in place of long travels around the world.

The web gaves its contribute with many initiatives: "Shirt-hour" on Facebook, through four slogan T-shirts will be voted and therefore, the most votes, printed on special Earth Hour 2012 T-shirt. Who will give his vote will also participate in the extraction of five t-shirts with the winning slogan. I will if you will is a challenge between friends, colleagues and followers around the world in taking concrete action towards sustainability.

In Italy offices, shops, private homes and institutional settings will turn off the light, and in many cities will be organized dinners by candlelight, street events, special events and visits in the evening Oasis WWF to bring citizens the idea of a sustainable future, but possible urgent. Will be in the dark the Scala of Milan, Piazza San Marco and Palazzo Ducale in Venice, Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, the Duomo and the Baptistery of Florence as well as some of the main assets of FAI - Italian Environmental Fund. Also turn off their lights as a symbol of the event places the dome of San Pietro, the Torre di Pisa, Ponte Vecchio in Florence, the Mole Antonelliana of Turin, the Pirelli Tower in Milan, the Aquarium of Genoa, the Sassi of Matera and many other.

The Earth Hour campaign is especially useful to remember how a small action, coupled with many others, may be a step towards a possible change. So turn off the light!

For further information visit the official site and the Italian one, the Facebook page and Twitter.