'Heather the Weather' launches WWF's Earth Hour
4 March 2010
Meteorologist Heather Reid officially launched the countdown to WWF’s Earth Hour 2010 today (Thursday 4 March) by placing giant light bulbs on a ‘weather map’ of Scotland to highlight the towns, cities, regions, landmarks and organisations signed up so far to go dark on Saturday 27 March. [1]
The former BBC weather presenter forecast darkened skies will spread throughout Scotland later this month as thousands of people across the country unite with up to a billion others across the world in turning off their lights for 60 minutes, sending a graphic demonstration of support for people and wildlife affected by climate change
From castles and councils to boats and brownie packs – record numbers, from all sectors of Scottish society, are signing up to take part in WWF’s Earth Hour. With just under a month to go Scotland is already breaking records with more local authorities signed up than ever before.[2] Joining with them so far will be Inverness Castle, RRS Discovery in Dundee, George Square monuments in Glasgow and hundreds of businesses, schools, churches and other organisations. With the Scottish Government, CoSLA and STUC on board WWF’s Earth Hour is promising to be bigger and better than ever. Globally, 88 countries have already signed up - equaling last year’s total. With four weeks left to go, WWF are predicting they will break this global record too.
Giving her support to WWF’s Earth Hour Heather Reid said:
“WWF’s Earth Hour is a simple way for people to send a strong message that they care about climate change. We are witnessing more and more dramatic weather events, like the recent serious flooding in parts of Europe. The Scottish winter may have been very cold, but globally January 2010 was still one of the warmest on record. It is more important than ever that we all do our bit to tackle climate change.
“There are lots of ways to get involved and make WWF’s Earth Hour a special night. You can invite your friends round and have a candlelit supper, or maybe get your neighbours involved and try and get your whole street to turn off for the hour. If you have small children you might like to think about buying a wind-up torch and reading their bedtime story by torchlight.”
Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland said:
“We are delighted a respected scientist like Heather Reid is lending her support to WWF’s Earth Hour. It is amazing to see how WWF’s Earth Hour has captured people’s imagination. That record numbers of councils, businesses, organisations and individuals are signing-up shows that people still want action to tackle climate change. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever with communities from around the world joining together again in a dramatic hour of action on climate change.
“After world leaders failed to agree a strong new international climate deal in Copenhagen it vital that Governments are strongly reminded that the world wants action on climate change.”
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Notes to Editors
[1] WWF's Earth Hour – 8.30pm, Saturday 27 March 2010 For more information about WWF’s Earth Hour http://www.wwfscotland.org.uk/earthhour
WWF's Earth Hour lights-out initiative began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 as an awareness-raising exercise. By 2009 3,000 cities and towns in more than 80 countries got involved with lights going out in 66 national capitals and 9 of the 10 most populated metropolises on the planet. Over 800 of the world’s most iconic landmarks also went dark last year including the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower and the Pyramids of Giza. Here in Scotland, 19 local authorities, 200 schools and over one hundred businesses and organisations joined in by switching their lights off for one hour in a graphic demonstration of support for determined international action on climate change. Some of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks went dark including Edinburgh Castle, the Forth Bridge, Eilean Donan Castle, Glasgow's Clyde Arc (Squinty Bridge) and the Scottish Parliament.
[2] A record 20 Scottish Local Authorities have signed up so far:
Aberdeenshire, Angus, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Dumfries and Galloway, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, Edinburgh, East Ayrshire, Fife, Glasgow , Highland, Midlothian, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire , Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire
[3] WWF Scotland is part of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, an alliance of development, environment and civil society groups aiming for tougher action to reduce emissions http://stopclimatechaosscotland.org
