January 5, 2011: Fiji Rugby takes Earth Hour beyond the hour for Rugby World Cup

Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) has become the first sporting body in the world to commit to Earth Hour 2011 calling on their fans in the rugby-mad nation to get behind their commitment to the global ‘lights out’ event and to go beyond the hour in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup, taking place in New Zealand this September.

“We are very proud to have the Fiji Rugby Union take part in this global campaign,” said Kenneth Zinck, representative of the FRU.

“I would like to urge all Fiji rugby fans to get behind Earth Hour and the boys’ campaign to the Rugby World Cup by switching their non-essential lights off not only for an hour at 8.30pm on 26th March but also to go beyond that hour in our everyday energy consumption practices." he said.

Renowned as one of the world’s most flamboyant and skillful rugby teams, Fiji is particularly competitive in the ‘seven-a-side’ version of the game. With the prestigious Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament coinciding with Earth Hour 2011, Zinck is calling on Fiji rugby fans to show their support for the team by ensuring the only energy being consumed during Earth Hour is for the television.

“The FRU is behind Earth Hour and it would be great if the country could support us during Earth Hour by switching off the lights while watching the Hong Kong Sevens game which coincides to be on the same day and time,” he said.

For the people of Fiji, Earth Hour 2011 aims to be a double celebration, of both victory in Hong Kong and their ongoing contribution to global environmental change.

What positive action for the planet will you celebrate for Earth Hour 2011 that goes beyond the hour? Tell the world at earthhour.org.

December 16, 2010: Earth Hour 2011 - growing beyond the hour

Earth Hour’s global switch off to highlight momentous action for earth

100 days out from the annual ‘lights out’ event, Earth Hour 2011 prepares to showcase a growing global community committed to taking environmental actions that go beyond the hour.

From its inception as a single-city initiative in 2007, Earth Hour has grown into a global movement where hundreds of millions of people from every continent join together to acknowledge the importance of protecting our planet.

Inspired by thousands of stories of people going beyond the hour, Earth Hour 2011 will ask individuals, businesses and governments the world over to add more to the annual switch off by showcasing how they are taking action to preserve their environment.

Earth Hour 2011 will ask the world to:
• Switch off your lights for Earth Hour at 8.30pm, Saturday 26 March 2011 and celebrate your commitment to the planet with the people of the world
• Sign up and Share stories of your actions that benefit the planet on earthhour.org
• Sustain your actions beyond the hour

“Earth Hour’s rapid growth over four years has proven that hundreds of millions people want to do more to protect their planet.” said Andy Ridley, Co-founder and Executive Director of Earth Hour.

“Whether it’s a child changing a classroom or a president changing a country, people, organizations and governments everywhere are invited to switch off their lights for Earth Hour 2011 and commit to taking action beyond the hour,” Andy said.

In February, earthhour.org will launch a platform enabling participants to share stories of what they’re doing or plan to do to make a real difference to their environment in the year ahead, showing that, no matter how big or small, together our actions add up.

Earth Hour 2010 was the largest voluntary action for the environment in history with lights going out across 128 countries and over 4,500 cities worldwide.

Earth Hour 2011 will again see hundreds of millions of people across all continents come together to celebrate an unambiguous commitment to the planet by switching off their lights for one designated hour.

The 100-day countdown to Earth Hour 2011 has begun, the iconic ‘lights out’ event that has seen some of the world’s most recognized landmarks, including the Forbidden City, Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace, Golden Gate Bridge, Table Mountain, Christ the Redeemer statue and Sydney Opera House switch off in a global celebration of the one thing that unites us all – the planet.

December 8, 2010: Earth Hour supporters build a platform to go ‘beyond the hour’

Currently in development for Earth Hour 2011, earthhour.org will host an online platform that will harness the stories, actions and programs of individuals and organizations around the world that are going beyond the hour with a commitment to an act that benefits the environment. In doing so, the platform will provide a channel for the exchange of resources and ideas that will continue to inspire others to join the global pursuit of a better, healthier world when the lights come back on.

Pivotal to the creation of the online platform dubbed ‘beyond the hour’, are the actions of you, the Earth Hour supporters. And when we asked you last week to contribute your positive acts for earth that go beyond the hour you inspirationally responded en masse.

From Macau to Montevideo, scores of original and inspiring anecdotes and images from all over the world have already been added to the development of the ‘beyond the hour’ platform, which is set to launch in February next year. Here is just a sample of the positive acts people are already doing for earth beyond the hour:

‘Continue to turn every inch of my yard into a productive, sustainable garden. The mission is not just to grow food with zero food miles, but to heal the soil where I can and leave it alive and humming.’

- Alciata from Christchurch, New Zealand

‘I am using less, wasting less, consuming less, and participating more in environmental actions to help support local organizations working towards a healthier climate.’

- Concernedcitizenoftheplanet from Surry, Canada

‘We will continue to provide free monthly reminders of two simple actions to lessen our carbon foot print on the planet.’

- TakeTwoForPlanetEarth.org from Orlando, USA

If you want to be one of the first to contribute to the earthhour.org ‘beyond the hour’ platform and be part of a global movement to inspire change, then simply complete the Earth Hour 2011 ‘act beyond the hour’ online form and let us know - this Earth Hour, what positive act will you do for earth that goes beyond the hour?

Tell us what you're doing for the planet and we'll tell the world! And if you have an image or video you would like to submit with your positive act for earth, please email the attached image or youtube video link to contact@earthhour.org stating your username, city and country.

September 19, 2010: Earth Hour 2011 – your voice, your action, your planet

Earth Hour is driven by the global community’s will to protect the planet we share.

Earth Hour’s exponential growth – from a single-city initiative in 2007 to a global movement across 128 countries in 2010 – is indicative of the growing desire for a cleaner, healthier world that is gathering momentum by the hour.

Across the globe plans are underway to make Earth Hour 2011 even bigger still!

At 8.30pm on Saturday 26 March 2011, Earth Hour will mark a moment of global contemplation to go beyond the hour; a collective commitment by individuals throughout the world to be the ongoing change they want to see in it.

Earth Hour 2011 will mark a moment of global celebration where people of different races and religions, cultures and nations, politics and society, genders and generations transcend division, connected and enlightened by their role as custodians of the planet.

Earth Hour is a vehicle driven by the voices of hundreds of millions of people. It is your unique and powerful voice, how you choose to express it is entirely up to you. Earth Hour is your campaign, so don’t be afraid to own and put your stamp on it. Your voice has never been more influential. In this digital age, your voice is universal.

Be a part of Earth Hour 2011; add your voice and take action, encourage others to join the hundreds of millions across every continent who have already spoken as one on behalf of the planet. Check out the inspiring Earth Hour 2011 video to see what our planet’s voice looks like. It’s an awesome thing.

Follow Earth Hour on twitter and facebook and join the global conversation on the planet’s conservation.

What do you say?

August 9, 2010: Entertainment Industry Leaders Partner To Premiere Earth Hour Global Music Video In Facebook Exclusive

www.facebook.com/earthhour

Earth Hour - the largest campaign in history for the planet – has exclusively premiered its Earth Hour 2011 video on Facebook.

Created by one of the world’s most successful independent producers, Village Roadshow, and international award-winning animation and visual effects studio, Animal Logic, the Earth Hour 2011 video captures the passion of Earth Hour demonstrated in 128 countries this year.

Australian band, The Temper Trap, currently in the middle of a sell-out world tour including Glastonbury (UK), Outside Lands Festival (San Francisco) and Corona Capital Festival (Mexico), provided the award-winning backing track “Sweet Disposition”, despite having “retired” the single from partnerships.

The emotive three-minute video showcases a mosaic of professional and amateur imagery shared by the hundreds of millions of people across the planet who took part in the most recent Earth Hour. It features media reports from the night as well as quotes from Earth Hour Ambassadors including The Most Reverend Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Italian Football Icon, Francesco Totti.

Earth Hour Co-Founder, Andy Ridley, says that it is a great honor to have world-renowned artists working together to help spread Earth Hour’s message.

“Earth Hour proves beyond anything else that one person has the power to make change,” Ridley says.

“Not only does this video inspire everyone to take action, but it demonstrates the depths of the desire of millions of people from all walks of life who want a better, healthy world,” he says.

Earth Hour 2010 embraced 4,616 cities and towns in 128 countries and territories and involved hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Design Director, Toby Grime of Animal Logic, says that it was the sheer breadth of footage and photographs from world citizens that truly inspired the video’s direction.

“When you see the imagery that has been captured via mobile phones and amateur video cameras, it brings to life how everyday citizens have taken Earth Hour to their hearts and want to own a solution for the future of the planet,” he says.

Village Roadshow Chairman, John Kirby, says Earth Hour is a call to action for every individual, business and community throughout the world to stand up; take responsibility; get involved and lead the global journey to a sustainable future.

“It is not a question of whether Village Roadshow should support Earth Hour but how we could. It is simply our responsibility as citizens of a global community,” he says.

The visual beauty of the video is brought together by the song Sweet Disposition by achingly cool band of the moment, The Temper Trap, whose lyrics appropriately capture the determination of Earth Hour - “Won’t stop ‘til it’s over; Won’t stop to surrender.”

Mr Ridley says that the world is ready for Earth Hour’s evolution. “In under three short years, Earth Hour has grown to reach over a billion people worldwide - the largest voluntary action ever witnessed,” he says. “If we can achieve this, imagine what else can be done.”

Earth Hour 2011 will take place at 8.30pm, Saturday, 26 March, 2011.