Twelve years ago, residents in Sydney, Australia created a movement by turning their lights off for one hour for climate change. This was the beginning of Earth Hour. Last year, 188 countries and territories celebrated Earth Hour.
Earth Hour 2018-2020 is about our connection to nature and the impacts climate change will have on our food system, clean air and fresh water. This year, Earth Hour will be celebrated on Saturday, March 30 at 8:30 p.m. local time. Turn your lights off and share why nature matters using #Connect2Earth, #TakeActionBurlington and #LiveGreenBurl on social media.
What is the City or Burlington doing during Earth Hour?
Burlington’s Brant Street Pier will be lit up in green lights between 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and again from 9:30 p.m. to midnight to mark Earth Hour.
We will also do our part and unplug or reduce the use of:
- Lighting where facilities are closed (some lights are required to be left on for safety and fire code reasons)
- Arena refrigeration plants (compressors, condensers, brine pumps, etc.)
- Exhaust fans/air handlers and heaters in viewing stands
Streetlights and traffic control signals will continue to operate as normal for safety reasons.
What is the City of Burlington doing year-round?
- Implementing and updating the corporate and community energy plans,
- Reporting annual greenhouse gas emissions to City Council,
- Raising awareness about programs and initiatives on the Take Action Burlington blog and environment webpage,
- Giving you a place to grow your own food at one of the city’s five community gardens,
- Working in partnership with Mohawk College and the City of Hamilton on the Bay Area Climate Change Office, and with Halton Region, its local municipalities and the school boards on the Halton Climate Collective to address climate change on a regional basis,
- Working with eight other organizations to reconnect, restore and protect the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System, 1,900 hectares of natural lands owned in the Hamilton-Burlington region,
- Managing the city’s public trees and partnering with others to plant more trees,
- Piloting a two-year private tree bylaw in the Roseland community to protect trees with diameters larger than 30 cm, historic and rare trees from damage or destruction, and
- Protecting the endangered Jefferson salamanders during their spring breeding migration.
What can you do to #TakeActionBurlington, #LiveGreenBurl and #Connect2Earth?
- Register for the Bay Area Climate Change Summit, the Bay Area Climate Change Youth Summit and/or the Ontario Bike Summit.
- Check out the Take Action Burlington blog at TakeActionBurlington.ca.
- Watch, learn and take action: Attend BurlingtonGreen’s Eco-Film Festival.
- Join BurlingtonGreen’s annual community clean-up green-up events.
- Visit Burlington Hydro’s “The Power to Conserve” webpage for programs, tips and strategies to save electricity and money and Union Gas’ pages for tips to reduce heating and hot water costs.
Take Action Burlington! Collectively we can make a difference to reduce our impact on nature and our climate and be kinder to our planet!
Take Action Burlington 