Earth Hour 2009

At 8:30 this evening, individuals, towns, and cities across the globe turned off their power for one hour as a way to draw attention to climate change. According to CNN, 83 countries in 24 different time zones participated in the event. Perhaps one of the most visible signs of this event was the dimming of the lights surrounding Big Ben in London (see left). About 20 cities in China participated in the event, as well as the area around the Great Pyramids in Egypt, Niagra Falls, and the Eiffel Tower, among others.

This is the third year that Earth Hour has taken place. It started in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million people turned off their lights to call attention to climate change. It has since spread into a worldwide movement. This year's event was officially sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. WWF CEO Carter Roberts reported to CNN that, "We think we are going to have 100 million people around the world sending a message that climate change is real, and we need to take action now."

For more information, please visit CNN or the Earth Hour website.

Image courtesy of www.cnn.com