• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Residents and establishments in Bacolod City are urged to switch off their lights tomorrow, March 23, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and participate in the Earth Hour celebration.
“For the past years, the City of Bacolod actively participated in the Earth Hour celebration spearheaded by various agencies, organizations, establishments, and the barangays, in cooperation with the city government,” Councilor Simplicia Distrito said in her resolution approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The act of switching off lights for one hour every last Saturday of March is a symbolic gesture, encouraging people from all over the world to commit to more sustainable lifestyles through smarter choices, Distrito added.
All sectors in the city, including barangays, establishments, and institutions, are enjoined to support the Earth Hour activity by switching off their lights and, if possible, all appliances that use electricity, at least for one hour, the SP added.
The Department of Energy also encouraged the public to observe the Earth Hour, a 60-minute symbolic event highlighting the importance of taking action against climate change and promoting sustainable living practices, with this year’s theme, “Switch off Plastic Pollution, give an Hour for Earth”.
Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, in a statement, said this is “a synergic act by taking small yet meaningful actions to protect the environment and combat climate change”.
He stressed the significance of being mindful of energy usage, emphasizing that simple actions such as turning off lights and unplugging electronic devices when not in use, and carpooling, can collectively make a substantial difference in energy consumption and carbon footprint.
The DOE said the Earth Hour is an annual symbolic lights-out event that started in Sydney in 2007 to bond together on the planet’s biggest environmental challenges. It has become the most significant grassroots movement to reach more people worldwide to work together and focus on climate and climate biodiversity actions.
Over the years, Filipinos have embraced the Earth Hour, the DOE said.
In 2019, the Philippines registered the highest energy savings of 195.34 megawatts (MW) from the one-hour energy switch-off.
The DOE said the country saved 62.6MW of energy from turning off the lights for one hour on March 25 last year; the largest savings came from Luzon with 33.29MW, 20.5MW from Mindanao, and 8.9MW from the Visayas.
This year, the DOE said it hopes to surpass the record. “For this year’s Earth Hour theme, we are reminded of our individual actions, corporate responsibility, and government regulations in promoting sustainable habits by adopting eco-friendly practices and packaging for a healthier ecosystem.” | CGC
