BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London joined iconic landmarks as well as communities and organisations from 178 countries by switching off its non-essential lights to observe Earth Hour at 8.30pm on Saturday 19 March 2016.
Earth Hour – the world’s largest environmental event – is a “global moment of solidarity for climate action” involving millions of people to raise awareness about protecting the future of the planet.
More than 10,400 landmarks around the world, including the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, Taipei 101 and the Sydney Opera House, as well as notable buildings in London, including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, The Gherkin, Piccadilly Circus, Harrods and the Ritz participated in this year’s event.
Siddarth Das, Executive Director for Earth Hour Global, explains, “While we are experiencing the impacts of climate change more than ever, we are also witnessing a new momentum in climate action transcending borders and generations. From living rooms to classrooms and conference rooms, people are demanding climate action. This tenth edition of Earth Hour is our time to ensure people are empowered to be a part of climate solutions.”
Taking “action beyond the hour” is a commitment that BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha continues to make for the environment. Yogen Shah, a volunteer at the Mandir, said: “It is more than a symbolic gesture for everyone at the Mandir. Caring for the environment is one of the ideals that our spiritual leader Pramukh Swami Maharaj continues to inspire, and which we endeavour to foster in our various activities here.”
From participating in organised environmental events such as Climate Week and World Environmental Day, through to volunteering projects to clean local parks, waterways as well as awards for environmental features of its gardens, the Mandir is actively committed to a better environment. Also central to its construction and operations are number of key environment-friendly features. Please click here to learn more.
Earth Hour was also observed at Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi and BAPS Swaminarayan mandirs in North America.
About Earth Hour
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Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change
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In 2008, the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights.
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In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour where over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet.
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In 2010, the global call to action had reached over 125 countries, making Earth Hour 2010 the world’s largest global climate change initiative. This increased further to 135 countries in 2011 and more than 6,950 cities in 2012.
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In 2014, the number of countries joining the event extended to 158
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A record participation once again in 2015 included 172 countries and territories, incorporating over 10,400 landmarks and close to 40 UNESCO World Heritage sites. This has been extended to 178 countries this year, with social media awareness campaigns being introduced to further its cause.
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Earth Hour is organised by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations. Its mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.
To learn more about Earth Hour and the WWF, please follow the respective links.
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