Dumfries and Galloway Council is once again demonstrating its commitment to the environment by joining WWF‘s Earth Hour, the biggest global movement to protect the planet.
The council will join the global lights out event for Earth Hour by turning off floodlights at the council HQ in English Street Dumfries for the weekend of 30th/31st March, and at Dumfries Museum and Camera Obscura on Saturday 30th March for one hour at 8.30pm to celebrate WWF’s Earth Hour.
Our Council will unite with millions of people, cities, communities and landmarks around the globe in a global visual display of commitment to tackle urgent environmental issues and protect our planet.
To mark the global event, the council will be:
• switching off all non-essential office and school lights when leaving for the weekend (where it is safe and sensible to do so)
• encouraging staff, residents and schools to sign up and make a pledge for the planet
• inviting everyone to ‘Celebrate the Diversity of Life on Earth’ at an Earth Hour party. The party starts at 8.15pm for the big switch off at 8.30pm. After the lights go out, there will be refreshments and a candlelit storytelling session inspired by the diversity of life on earth. Stories and readings on the theme of animals by Tom Hughes and JoAnne McKay.
The event is suitable for all ages, free, and no booking required. The party is between 8.15pm and 10pm at Dumfries Museum, The Observatory, Rotchell Road, Dumfries, DG2 7SW
Cllr Archie Dryburgh, Chair of Environment, Economy and Infrastructure Committee said: “We are pleased to take part in this global event again. The council reconfirmed our commitment to action on climate change in January this year when we agreed the council-wide Environment Policy Framework 2018-2032. The Framework enables the Council’s priority to work towards becoming a carbon neutral region. However, we have been reducing our organisation’s carbon emissions gradually since 2008 when the emissions were nearly 60,000 tonnes per annum. Last year our emissions were down to just under 49,000 tonnes. Our strategies such as the installation of biomass heating in all our new and refurbished schools, the change to LED for streetlighting and moving towards a low carbon vehicle fleet are just some of the actions in a broad programme to reduce corporate emissions. I hope as many people in Dumfries and Galloway as possible get involved in Earth Hour this year.”
Sam Gardner, acting director of WWF Scotland, said: “We are very pleased that Dumfries and Galloway Council is again taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour. It’s an opportunity for us all to demonstrate in a simple way that we care about our planet and the impact climate change is having on people and nature across the world. Nature needs support right now. We must act to reverse the damage and restore the environment. We have the solutions, we just need our voices to be heard. That’s why Earth Hour is so vital – it gives a powerful voice to people everywhere who want to put the world on the path to recovery.”
Everyone can join the celebration for WWF’s Earth Hour on Saturday 30 March 2019. For more information and to sign up please visit wwfscotland.org.uk/earthhour
