Abu Dhabi plans to switch off in style on March 26th, with 71 organizations taking part in the WWF’s Earth Hour.
On March 26, 2011, 71 government, public, and private organizations in Abu Dhabi will join the World Wildlife Fund’s international initiative to switch off the lights for Earth Hour. In keeping with a host of the Emirate’s day-to-day energy-saving initiatives including the “Turn-it-off campaign,” several businesses will turn off their lights between 8.30 and 9.30 p.m. Khaleej Times reports 14 major hotel chains are among those that will participate.
Designed to draw attention to the dire need to reduce electricity consumption and the powerful impact of just a few small gestures, Earth Hour has become an international sensation. Although this year’s event may be eclipsed in part by the ongoing vitriol besieging Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen in particular, Abu Dhabi is forging ahead.
Emirates Palace, the Sheraton, Crown Plaza, and the Hilton hotel are among the hotels that plan to participate.
Representatives of the Sheraton Hotel explained to Khaleej that they will turn off their exterior signage lighting, dim or turn off non-essential interior lights, and use candlelights in some public areas. They will also leave explanatory notes inside each room to explain the purpose of turning off. Also on offer will be candlelit dinner and “green” cocktails.
Similarly, the Emirates Palace hotel will turn off their interior and exterior decorative lighting.
“We are keen on energy efficiency procedures in all phases of work, and the Emirates Palace even won international awards in this area as we use environment-friendly materials, which reduce energy consumption,” the general manager of the hotel Hans Olbertz told the paper.
The cool Eco Chicks of Abu Dhabi are also getting involved: they are inviting interested energy savers to walk along the Abu Dhabi Corniche. They will meet at the parking lot near the Hilton hotel at 6.45pm, with Dubai Drummers in tow, and encourage participants to bring along homemade lanterns. And if you bring an old incandescent bulb, you’ll receive a friendlier replacement for free.
Go forth and conquer, all ye eco-warriors.
More on earth hour in the Middle East:
Lights Out During Earth Hour 2011 This Week in Israel
Dubai’s Burj Khalifa’s Towers In Darkness During Earth Hour
Free Concert Powered by Falafel Oil for Earth Hour
image via Christian Haugen
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
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