earth hour
According to the
event’s web site, Earth Hour was “created to take a stand against the
greatest threat our planet has ever faced [by using] the simple action of
turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the
need for action on global warming.”
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We had a tremendous response from
staff from Dimension Data and our sister company Datacraft around the
world.
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The
first Earth Hour event took place in 2007 in Sydney only, and saw over 2.2
million Sydneysiders and 2,100 businesses switched off their lights for one
hour, leading to a 10.2% reduction in energy usage across the city.
In
2008, 24 global cities participated in Earth Hour with landmarks such as New
York’s Time Square and even the Colloseum plunging into darkness. 2009 saw
Earth Hour reach new strengths with over 500 cities in participation and a
target of 1 billion individuals. According to event organisers:
“Earth
Hour is the highlight of a major campaign to encourage businesses,
communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their
emissions on an ongoing basis. It is about 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.”
Dimension
Data’s supported Earth Hour 2009 in each of our regions – Australia,
Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa - supporting the event with internal
competitions and stories. Australia distributed environmentally friendly
candles to all staff, while Datacraft Asia ran its own lunch time Earth Hour
prior to the event, calling for all employees to switch off their lights for
one hour on Friday March 28. Both our European and Asian collected stories
and photos, with the most innovative and interesting stories winning an
environmentally-friendly prize.
In
the lead up to Earth Hour, staff were also encouraged to register on the
website and commit to turning off lights at home between 8.30 and 9.30pm as
well as telling friends and family about Earth Hour and encouraging them to
take part in the event.
One
generous soul in Dimension Data’s Canberra (Australia) branch opened his
house to all staff members and their partners for an Earth Hour Party – a
candle-lit barbecue affair attended by approximately 30 staff, partners and
children.
In
Asia, many families spent the hour enjoying a quiet candlelit dinner with
family, teaching the children about the importance of the occasion and also
having some fun with ghost stories by candlelight! One staff member explained
to his children that global warming would lead to polar bears having nowhere
to live, essentially a story to which they could relate.
In
Europe, over 80% of employees signed up for Earth Hour 2009, a proportion
unparallel with any other environmental event in the region.
Merle
Singer, Dimension Data’s Director, Culture and Reputation, was responsible
for promoting Earth Hour across Dimension Data’s regions.
