People asked to switch off lights for Earth Hour

Canadians will be joining millions of people around the world to mark Earth Hour on Saturday evening.

The World Wildlife Fund is urging people turn off their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time to draw attention to energy conservation.

This year, those who participate can upload videos of what they will be thinking about during Earth Hour, as well as sharing their views on climate change. They can even tweet their thoughts with hashtag #momentofdarkness.

Click here for more details on the event.

Canadian celebrities including Jason Priestley, William Shatner, Chris Hadfield, Roberta Bondar, Raine Maida and others will also be sharing their videos.

In Toronto, the Riverside BIA and Ralph Thornton Centre will be holding a free outdoor concert on Saturday. The event kicks off at 7:45 p.m.

Family-friendly activities will also be held during the afternoon. Click here for more information.

World Wildlife Fund said 13 million Canadians turned off their lights for an hour during the event in 2013.

Toronto Hydro said the city’s electricity use dropped by 205 megawatts during Earth Hour — the equivalent of approximately 92,000 homes being taken off the grid.

If you’re using candles during Earth Hour, check out these tips from the City of Toronto first:

  • Always stay in the room where candles are lit
  • Extinguish all candles when leaving the room
  • Avoid using candles in bedrooms
  • Keep candles at least one metre away from anything that can burn
  • Keep candles, matches and lighters hidden and out of the reach of children
  • Use sturdy candle holders that won’t tip or burn and consider using a candle holder that encloses the flame in a glass shade or chimney
  • Extinguish candles when they burn to within five centimetres (two inches) of their holder
  • Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every storey of your home
  • Prepare and practise your home fire escape plan.

With files from The Canadian Press

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