Posted on December, 18 2008

WWF Bolivia, the global conservation organization, in collaboration with the municipal governments of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Trinidad and Puerto Quijarro, local power companies CRE and Coserelec, invite you to participate in Earth Hour Bolivia 2009.

Earth Hour is a WWF campaign carried out globally in which cities and communities turn off their lights on March 28th, 2009 for one hour (from 8:30 to 9:30 pm local time), as a sign of leadership and commitment towards finding solutions regarding global warming, as well as becoming more aware of how to save energy in our everyday activities by unplugging electrical appliances, turning off the lights when we leave a room etc.

As in March 2008, Earth Hour Bolivia 2009 will again take center stage at the main plaza in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The activities, led by the Mayor of Santa Cruz, Mr. Percy Fernández, and by the President of the local power company CRE, Dr. Germán Antelo, will be followed by thousands of Bolivians thanks to MAHS, a local company airing Earth Hour coverage and promotional videos on large electronic screens located in strategic positions in the cities of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Cochabamba and La Paz. A countdown to Earth Hour 2009, similar to world celebrations on New Years Eve, will also be displayed on these large electronic screens, sharing activities carried out worldwide in various cities that one by one turn off their lights.

Authorities and local institutions in the municipalities of Puerto Quijarro and Trinidad will also be organizing activities for Earth Hour. In Santa Cruz de la Sierra, mobile phone company Tigo, daily national newspaper El Nuevo Día, magazines Mundo Seguro, La Voz del Chiquitano and Vamos, are a few of the companies that have joined the campaign and who will express their support by sending text messages as well as disseminating information aimed at reducing our footprint regarding climate change.

During Earth Hour 2008 more than 50 million people in 400 cities turned off their lights as did important icons such as the Opera House in Sydney, the Buddhist temple of Wat Arun in Bangkok, the Coliseum in Rome, the Royal Castle in Stockholm, City Hall in London, Empire State building in New York, Sears Tower in Chicago and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Others, such as the Coca-Cola billboard in Times Square in New York City, as well as the Google homepage, turned off their lights for the entire day.

In 2009 it is hoped that a billion people join the Earth Hour initiative from all walks of life and ages, and that over 1000 cities participate, showing the world that it is possible to take action against global warming.

Go Bolivia! Do your part! Join the 2009 Earth Hour by turning off your lights at 8:30 pm on Saturday, March 28, 2009 and by signing up with www.earthhour.org/espanol.