On March 31, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., the Region of Peel will join hundreds of other municipalities across the country and more than a billion people around the world in support of Earth Hour. Where safe and appropriate, Regional facilities will participate by switching off their lights for one hour.
“The Region of Peel remains committed to supporting the Earth Hour initiative,” said Regional Chair and CEO Emil Kolb. “I encourage our vibrant and diverse community to participate by finding small changes that collectively, make a big difference to our planet. We all need to do our part to combat climate change.”
There’s more to Earth Hour than just switching off lights for an hour once a year; it’s about giving people a voice and demonstrating that, if citizens around the world work together, they can create a better future for the planet. Last year, more than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour 2011, sending a powerful message for action on climate change.
“At the Region, we’re continually working to meet energy needs through investments in efficiency, conservation, and clean, secure energy sources that contribute to the health and security of Peel’s energy future,” said Steve Hall, Director, Real Property Asset Management.
As part of this effort, the Region of Peel will be hosting its 8th annual Energy Matters Summit on May 28 and 29 at the Toronto Congress Centre. The Energy Matters Summit is now one of Ontario’s leading public sector energy management and climate change conferences. This unique event brings together both public and private agencies from across the globe to promote strategies that manage energy costs and control consumption. To register or to learn more, visit energymatterssummit.com .
To pledge your support for Earth Hour, or to learn more about how small changes can make a big difference for our planet, visit wwf.ca/earthhour .
The Regional Municipality of Peel was incorporated in 1974 on the principle that certain community and infrastructure services are most cost-effectively administered over a larger geographic area. The Region of Peel serves more than 1.3 million people and approximately 88,000 businesses in the cities of Brampton and Mississauga and the town of Caledon.
The City of Brampton is also gearing up for Earth Hour. In partnership with Hydro One Brampton, the Region of Peel and local school boards, the City is encouraging everyone to join the campaign and turn off lights and non-essential appliances during this time.
The City will turn off non-essential lights at various facilities during the designated hour on March 31. Lighting affecting public safety, security or service - such as streetlights, stoplights, park pathway lighting and parking lot lights at City facilities – will remain on. Brampton Fire and Emergency Services encourages residents to maintain a safe environment by using flashlights and avoiding candles and open flames. Public programming at recreation and community centers will also continue as normal.
“Once again the City of Brampton is encouraging residents, businesses and community organizations to make Earth Hour a success. This year, we hope to demonstrate that it is possible to take meaningful and practical local action against climate change,” says Mayor Susan Fennell.
According to statistics from Hydro One Brampton, our city saw an 8.5 megawatt decrease in energy consumption during Earth Hour last year. This is equivalent to removing 7,000 homes from Brampton’s distribution system for that hour.
The Earth Hour campaign was started in Sydney, Australia by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 2007, when 2.2 million people and 2,100 Sydney businesses turned off the lights for one hour. This campaign has now spread to major cities worldwide making Earth Hour a global movement. For more information please visit www.brampton.ca or call 311.
