Toronto Turns Out The Lights For Earth Hour
Posted March 28, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Sydney was the first major city in the world to turn off its lights for Earth Hour Saturday.
And at 8:30pm local time, Toronto joined the Australian metropolis. We were one of nearly 4,000 other cities in 88 countries participating in the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored event.
Some of the city’s most iconic symbols – including the CN Tower, Toronto City Hall, and Honest Ed’s infamous 23,000 light bulb sign at Bloor and Bathurst Streets – took part in the campaign.
Now in its second year, the WWF aims to draw attention to climate change by having everyone reduce their electricity use for 60 minutes.
This year, a lot more Torontonians got involved, reducing the city’s energy consumption by 15 per cent during the event. Last year, electricity demand dropped 8.7 per cent.
“People are taking to it. They get it. If we reduce our power use, we reduce our greenhouse gasses,” enthused Mayor David Miller.
But one Earth Hour participant thinks we should be doing more than making token gestures for the environment.
“I think it’s good. However, I think it’s something that needs to be practised everyday. It shouldn’t be just one hour, once a year. We should be doing this all the time,” he stressed.
Torontonians turned out for a free concert at Nathan Phillips Square to celebrate. Headlining the event: Suzie McNeil, former finalist on Rock Star: INXS and one of the leads in “We Will Rock You.”
Earth Hour Events In Toronto
Candlelit Yoga
Big Stretch Yoga Centre, 1560 Bayview Avenue, Suite 303
8pm
Candlelit Yoga
Extreme Fitness, 80 Bloor Street West
8:30pm
Free Star Party
Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Road
8pm
Beyond Earth Hour with the Toronto Vegetarian Association
Hart House Music Room, 7 Hart House Circle
7pm
Candlelight Dinner
St Stephens-in-the-Fields Church, 103 Bellevue Ave
7pm
Reservations required: 416-504-4702
Trinity Bellwoods Greenhouse By Candlelight
Trinity Bellwoods Community Greenhouse, Crawford and Queen St West
8:30pm
Candlelight Meditations
St Cuthbert’s Anglican Church, 1399 Bayview Avenue
8:30pm
Candlelight Sing Along
Greenborough Community Church, 2000 Keele Street
8pm
U of T Astronomy Free Public Observing Session
MP Building, 60 St George Street
8pm
Candlelight Stretch Class
The SPACE, 1324 Danforth Avenue
8:30pm
