Are you ready to do your bit to tackle global warming? If the answer is yes, then turn off a light or an electrical appliance at home today from 8pm to 9pm.

Don't worry: you won't be alone. There are people in 24 other metropolises around the world doing the exact same thing.

Provincial capitals are also invited to join this earth-saving campaign, says Bangkok Metropolitan Administration deputy governor Bansophit Mekwichai.

The Earth Hour crusade, launched by the World Wildlife Fund, aims to reduce carbon emissions, the main cause of global warming.

"We expect to cut the consumption of electricity by 30 per cent, or 1,500 megawatts out of 5,000MW, if we turn lights off in Bangkok for a mere hour," Bansophit explains.

Every little bit helps

Authorities hope the campaign will save Bangkok up to Bt2 million in terms of power consumption. If every household turned off just one light for an hour each day, the Kingdom would save Bt160 million every year, cut the yearly consumption of electricity by 55 million units and reduce annual carbon emissions by about 38,000 tonnes, she says.

Thailand's effort to save the Earth will be broadcast live on Channel 9, while CNN will show the endeavour in other parts of the world. Channel 9 will also show the amount of power being saved in Thailand from the lights-out campaign.

On May 9 last year, Bangkok residents were urged to turn their lights off for 15 minutes in another Earth-saving effort.

Things in the Israeli capital of Tel Aviv started a day early on Thursday, with households turning off their lights and restaurants and cafés serving by candlelight. In fact, residents even generated electricity for a concert through cycling. Organisers of the event were hoping to reduce power consumption in Israel by 5 per cent during the 60-minute lights-out effort.

By Wannapa Phetdee

Daily Xpress

A bright future

>> Bangkok Metropolitan Authority will join in by turning off some streetlights along Silom, Yaowaraj, Khao San, Phetchaburi, Ratchadaphisek, Rajdamri, Rajdamnoen and Sukhumvit roads.

>> The cities joining Earth Hour are Bangkok; the US cities of Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago and Phoenix;  Canadian cities of Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal; Irish capital Dublin; Australia's Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide; Danish cities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg and Odense; Philippine capital Manila; Fijian capital Suva; Israeli capital Tel Aviv; and New Zealand's Christchurch.

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