March 23, 2009

Charlotte, NC -- The City of Charlotte will join more than 1,800 other cities and towns in 80 countries who will observe "Earth Hour 2009" on Saturday, March 28, by asking residents to cast their votes for climate change by switching light switch levers "off" between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the global World Wildlife Fund (WWF) climate change initiative, Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) invites individuals, businesses, governments and communities to turn out their lights for one hour on one day of the year to show their support for action on climate change. Participation in Earth Hour is a signal of support for action on climate change and shows concern for the future of the planet.

The City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Charlotte Center City Partners and Duke Energy are showing their support of Earth Hour by participating in an effort to educate individuals and businesses about the small changes that can be made to significantly reduce energy consumption.

The City of Charlotte is participating by turning off non-essential lights at Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center, old City Hall, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Headquarters, the Fire & Police Academy and all 39 fire stations and support divisions.

Mecklenburg County facilities include County administrative offices, three nature centers, Rays Splash Planet, Marion Diehl Recreation Center, public libraries and all County golf courses.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools will turn off the Education Center's exterior lights and parking lot lights. CMS will send a Connect Ed message to all CMS homes at 8:15 p.m., Saturday, March 28, announcing the impending Earth Hour and asking that lights be turned off and hot water usage be minimized from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Charlotte Center City Partners is promoting the initiative to businesses and residents within Center City.

Duke Energy is supporting the Earth Hour initiative in locations across the Carolinas as well as in its Cincinnati, Ohio, and Plainfield, Ind., markets. The company's Web site, http://www.duke-energy.com/, provides information and tips promoting energy efficiency.

Earth Hour simply asks people to turn out non-essential lights for one hour on Saturday, March 28. Major appliances and security lighting should remain on so that the safety of any individual in a private or public space is not compromised. People can take the following actions after Earth Hour to further reduce energy consumption:

Households

• Switch off unused lights
• Switch unused appliances off standby
• Switch to energy efficient light globes
• Reduce use of hot water

Businesses

• Replace light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs
• Be more efficient with heating and cooling by adjusting the thermostat appropriately
• Reduce hot water use
• Turn off lights and computers outside working hours

Participating energy companies and authorities confirm that turning all the lights back on after the hour will not cause any issues. Authorities say that the load reduction should not be significant enough to disrupt supply post Earth Hour.

By committing to Earth Hour, individuals, communities and companies are pledging to take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions more broadly, by being conscious of how much energy they are using and by identifying opportunities in their homes or offices to reduce energy consumption.

The event began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, when 2 million people switched off their lights. In 2008, more than 50 million people around the globe participated. This year, Earth Hour aims to reach out to 1 billion people in 1,000 cities.

The last weekend of March is selected as the date because it's around the time of the spring and autumn equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively. This allows for near coincidental sunset times in both hemispheres, ensuring the greatest visual impact for a global lights-out campaign.

 CONTACTS:
City of Charlotte  
Kim McMillan, 704-336-2643

Mecklenburg County               
Heidi Pruess, 704-336-5597    

Duke Energy
Tom Shiel, 704-382-2355                  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools           
LaTarzja L. Henry, 980-343-5162           

Charlotte Center City Partners
Moira Quinn, 704-332-9583