Emerson to Embrace the Darkness for Earth Hour 2017

Once again, Emerson College is asking students, faculty, and staff to join people around the world and switch off the lights for one hour on Saturday to raise awareness about climate change.

Earth Hour, an international event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), takes place on March 25 from 8:30 to 9:30 pm (whatever time zone you’re in). In addition to embracing the dark, people are encouraged to unplug appliances and electronic devices.

Don’t worry, you won’t be alone. In solidarity, the College will shut off the Cutler Majestic Theatre façade lights; the LED stairway illumination at the Tufte Performance and Production Center; and the banner lights on 216 Tremont Street and the Ansin, Little, Colonial, and Walker buildings.

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, with 2.2 million people, according to the Earth Hour 2016 Report. By 2009, it had spread to 88 countries and territories, and had grown to become the world’s largest grassroots movement around the environment, WWF said.

Last year, according to the WWF, more than 400 of the world’s most iconic landmarks switched their lights off for Earth Hour. People, organizations, and businesses in 178 countries took part, and more than 20,400 people donated their Facebook feeds to the cause, resulting in potentially more than 18.7 million people seeing those posts. WWF estimates that there were more than 2.5 billion impressions of campaign hashtags between January and March 2016.

If you would like to donate your Facebook feed to Earth Hour, or for more ideas on how to help, visit earthhour.org. If you participate on social media, don’t forget to use the hashtag #ChangeClimateChange.