Over 830 landmarks join Earth Hour

The Vatican is one of more than 830 landmarks around the world that will be plunged into darkness for Earth Hour, organisers have learnt overnight.

Originating in Sydney in 2007, and now in its third year, Earth Hour director Andy
Ridley said the point of the exercise was not merely to reduce energy consumption
for one hour on one day of the year.
"We need massive change - one hour in terms of change is not that much," he told
reporters at Bondi Beach on Saturday.
"The primary reason we do it is because we want people to think, even if it is for
an hour, what they can do to lower their carbon footprint, and ideally take that
beyond the hour," he said.
In Sydney, city landmarks including the Harbour Bridge, Opera House, and Anzac
Bridge will power down for an hour from 8.30pm (AEDT) on Saturday.
Lights at prominent landmarks in capital cities across Australia, including
Parliament House in Canberra, will also be switched off.
Mr Ridley said a lot more of rural Australia had become engaged with the movement
this year than in previous years "which we are over the moon about", he said.
He struggled to explain why the movement had gained enormous momentum across the
globe during the past twelve months in particular, but said a "street party"
approach rather than a "street protest" had been a wise move.
"It is a very positive, hopeful campaign," he said.
"Maybe people need hope at the moment."
Atlanta, San Francisco, Bangkok, Vancouver and Dublin were among 371 cities and
towns to join the Earth Hour movement in 2008.
In 2009 the figure has ballooned to at least 3,929 cities and towns Mr Ridley knows of.
Newly listed landmarks that will switch lights off in 2009 include the Eiffel Tower,
Beijing's Birds Nest Olympic stadium, The London Eye, and Egypt's Great Pyramids at
Giza.
And climbers taking on Mount Everest intend on carrying an Earth Hour flag with them.