This year’s Earth Hour, the world's largest collective environmental action, will take place at 8:30pm on 28 March. Organized by WWF-Hong Kong, the Hong Kong edition of Earth Hour is now in its seventh year, and this year’s kick off event will generate excitement and interest in advance of the collective “lights out” action.
The “Refurnishing Nature” Exhibition will run from 10-17 March at Times Square in Causeway Bay. Featuring old furniture refurnished with 3D “trick art”, Mr Fei Wong, a talented 3D illustrator, and his team have designed and hand-painted several natural scenarios in lifelike 3D. WWF’s aim for the exhibition is to highlight to the public the connection between conservation and our daily lives. The exhibition will act an inspiration to everyone, showing us that natural resources such as timber are precious to our one and only planet.
The Earth Hour 2015 kick-off ceremony was held today (10 March) at Times Square. Officiating guests from WWF and our lead sponsor unveiled the exhibition and officially launched Earth Hour 2015, while the exhibition’s creative team explained the exhibits’ 3D illusions. Ms Irene Chu, Chairperson of the Finance Committee of WWF-Hong Kongshared that ”Today, the overconsumption of natural resources poses serious threats to our planet. WWF-Hong Kong hopes that everyone understands this exhibition’s conservation messages, and encourages the public to change their lifestyles to help sustain the Earth. Remember to turn off your lights and join us in celebrating Earth Hour!”
Mr Wong Kam Chung, Raymond, Director of the Everbright International Environmental Protection Charitable Foundation, the exhibition’s sole sponsor, said, “Through Earth Hour, we hope to bring the energy saving and recycling concepts into the daily lives of the public. For a brighter future, together we must work towards the sustainable development of the planet.”
Humanity’s Ecological Footprint – a measurement of people’s demand for the natural resources of our planet – has continued to grow to alarming proportions. According to the Living Planet Report 2014, last year the global Ecological Footprint was 1.5 times what the planet could provide; meaning it will take 1.5 years for the Earth to regenerate the renewable resources which we use in a year. In Hong Kong, the situation is even more severe. If everyone on Earth were to live the way Hong Kong people do, we would require 3.1 Earths to meet our needs. The natural resources Hong Kong people use exceed what is available in the territory by an astounding 540 times. This difference, called our “ecological deficit”, is the largest in Asia and the third in the world.
The theme of Earth Hour 2015 is One Hour For One Bright Future, and WWF is asking everyone to change their lifestyles and give up some luxuries to help sustain the Earth. Mr C.W. Cheung, Senior Head of the Climate and Footprint Programme at WWF-Hong Kong, encourages everyone to start the process of change by “consuming less, consuming wisely”, saying that “It is now time for us to come back “down to Earth”, especially in regards to clothing, food, living and transportation. We have to reduce the level of our consumption and keep it within what our one planet can provide”. Beyond Earth Hour, there is plenty more that we can do to save our planet, and that includes getting involved in WWF’s “One Earth Mission”. Register now for the One Earth Mission activities onearthhour.hk!
WWF urges everyone to support Earth Hour. Give the world hope for a brighter future – turn off your lights and join us today. Sign up and make a pledge now at earthhour.hk!
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