City Hall will power down for Earth Hour Saturday

Vaughan Weekly
March 27, 2014
By Angela Gismondi

Vaughan residents and businesses will be encouraged to think about the ways they can reduce their impact on the planet through energy conservation and sustainable living practices at the Earth Hour celebration at Vaughan City Hall this Saturday (March 29).

The annual event, which is hosted by the City of Vaughan in partnership with the Earth Hour Vaughan committee, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Earth Hour will be observed from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Earth Hour is held annually on the last Saturday of March and is organized by the World Wildlife Fund

Earth Hour, which began in 2007, is a global sustainability movement that brings attention to the issues of energy conservation and climate change.

The event at City Hall will feature a number of activities, including:

- An energy conservation exhibit which will provide information about energy cost savings, energy technologies, conservation tips and environmental solutions for work, home and school

- An electrical vehicle exhibit which will reveal how charging up on clean energy (electricity from renewable sources) promotes a cleaner climate future

- Opening ceremonies with the mayor and members of council at 8 p.m.

- Lantern making, followed by a lantern walk around the community

- An environmental Jeopardy game for participating secondary schools

- A cycling night ride

- An awards ceremony to recognize Vaughan’s green heroes

- Live entertainment and refreshments.

In 2013, Vaughan reduced its energy use by 27 megawatts - enough energy to power more than 800 average-sized homes for 24 hours

“The City of Vaughan is committed to being an environmental leader, and our annual Earth Hour event at City Hall is just one of the ways that we proudly promote environmental awareness within the community,” said Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. “Last year, Vaughan residents and businesses conserved enough energy during Earth Hour to power more than 800 average-sized homes for 24 hours. That’s a tremendous success. As we look toward a greener future, we will continue to foster meaningful partnerships and work with the community to ensure we address local environmental issues and focus on making Vaughan an even better city for tomorrow.”

In 2013, more than 7,000 cities and towns in 153 countries across seven continents participated in Earth Hour. More than 13 million Canadians took part in Earth Hour in 2013.

Cyclists interested in participating in the cycling night ride are required to register with the Bicycle Users Group by emailing vaughanbug@gmail.com. Space is limited and cyclists must be equipped with the proper cycling equipment and gear.

The Vaughan Earth Hour celebration will start at 6:30 p.m. at Vaughan City Hall at 2141 Major Mackenzie Drive.

For a more information contact Jamie Maynard of the Vaughan Earth Hour committee at maynard.insurance@on.aibn.com or visit www.earthhourvaughan.ca.