Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when more than 2.2 million families and businesses turned off their lights for Earth Hour on Saturday 31 March 2007.

Just one year later, Earth Hour reached 370 cities and towns in more than 35 countries across 18 timezones, and the campaign shifted from a Sydney event to a global sustainability movement.

An estimated 50 to 100 million people around the world switched off their lights for Earth Hour in 2008, and global landmarks including the Rome’s Coliseum, the Coke billboard in Times Square in New York and Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai darkened for one hour.

In 2009, Earth Hour aims to reach 1 billion people around the world in more than 1000 cities involving business, government and the community in the world’s largest global action on climate action on 28 March 2009.

Come on South Africa, join us for Earth Hour 2009, turn off your lights at 8.30pm Saturday 28 March and sign-up here at earthhour.org.