ATLANTA – As part of its sustainability initiative, Agnes Scott College will join the international Earth Hour celebration Saturday, March 29, by turning off its lights for an hour from 8-9 p.m. and holding a special gathering on the main academic quadrangle in observance.
"Even if you can't be on campus to join us, I invite everyone in the Agnes Scott community to take part in this worldwide event wherever you might be on March 29 at 8 p.m. – on campus or at home," said Elizabeth Kiss, president of Agnes Scott College. "This is a wonderful way to demonstrate support for a truly global statement on the importance of sustainability."
Kiss is inviting students and all college friends to gather at 8 p.m. for a special community Earth Hour celebration on the George and Irene K. Woodruff Quadrangle.
Non-essential lights will be turned off all over the campus. Lighting needed for safety will remain on, said Henry Hope, public safety director at Agnes Scott.
The college’s commitment to sustainability aligns with the “Living Honorably” goal in the college’s seven-year strategic plan, Engaging a Wider World, which was adopted by the Board of Trustees fall 2007. Agnes Scott College was one of the charter signatories to the College and University President’s Climate Commitment last fall, and reducing energy consumption is key to this commitment.
Earth Hour was launched a year ago when more than 2.2 million residents and 2,100 businesses in Sydney, Australia made a powerful statement about the greatest contributor to global warming – coal-fired electricity – by switching off the lights for one hour, leading to a 10.2 percent energy reduction across the city.
This year Earth Hour has grown to become an international commitment to make a bold statement about climate change. Mayor Shirley Franklin, the City of Atlanta, and 24 other cities around the world are partnering with The World Wildlife Fund to make history as lights will be turned out all over the world for one hour.
These 24 global cities and their partners will participate in Earth Hour as part of a major campaign to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their emissions on an ongoing basis. The event is a way to demonstrate simple changes that will collectively make a difference – from businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty, to households turning off appliances rather than leaving them on standby.
This event is free and open to the public. Information: 404 471-6075 or mhall@agnesscott.edu. For more information on Earth Hour:
http://www.earthhour.org
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