Illinois’ state buildings go ‘lights out’ for one hour
People all over the world planned to turn out their lights for an hour as a sign of a commitment to protect the planet.
Earth Hour 2014 was scheduled for Saturday, March 29 from 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
A spokesperson from World Wildlife Fund, the organizer of Earth Hour, said hundreds of millions of people were expected to participate in the earth-saving demonstration. The motion was described as “a collective display of commitment to create a better future for the planet.”
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn was urging residents and businesses to take part in Earth Hour by turning their lights out for an hour at some time during the day. He ordered Illinois state facilities to turn out the lights for one hour beginning at 8:30 p.m.
“Turning out our lights for Earth Hour will not only conserve energy, it will shine a light on the need to protect our planet,” Quinn said. “We can help preserve our planet for generations to come by being thoughtful about how much power we use.”
A spokesperson from the Office of Governor Quinn said more than 7,000 cities on seven continents turned out the lights for the 2013 observance of Earth Hour.
Earth Hour first began in 2007.