news

Print This Page

RSS Feed

RSS Feeds

March 9, 2009

BC Hydro urges businesses to embrace Earth Hour 2009

With each WWF Earth Hour, residents and businesses around the world learn a little bit more about global warming and what they can do about it.

Two-time Earth Hour sponsor BC Hydro will not only be using Earth Hour 2009 to spread the conservation word. It's also a chance to encourage B.C. businesses to check their shutdown procedures in advance of the March 28th, 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. event.

"With any commercial business, the automated controls and systems get tweaked and adjusted over time," said Jim Nelson, BC Hydro's Power Smart marketing manager. "With all these small adjustments, some systems may not be operating at their optimal efficiency level, often with tenants or management not realizing the full impact."

Businesses are being asked to turn off all unnecessary lights and equipment for Earth Hour. But many will also be able to examine their regular weekend shutdown procedures to ensure they're maximizing energy savings.

Power Smart hopes that even smaller businesses which normally operate on Saturday nights will find creative ways to save energy.

"Some businesses will make an event out of it, such as candlelight dinners at restaurants," said Nelson. "Some smaller businesses can also offer Earth Hour specials, turning down lights and doing whatever's practical. But we certainly don't want people to do things that are unsafe or that hurt their business."

Taking part in Earth Hour is a message BC Hydro also wants business owners to send along to employees as they head home. While collective energy-saving efforts in B.C. for Earth Hour 2008 were significant, it’s expected that savings will be even higher in 2009.

"It may be just one hour, but it's really a chance to get a lot of people thinking about energy conservation," said Nelson.

British Columbians saved 125 megawatts of electricity during Earth Hour 2008, the equivalent of turning off 2.5 million lights. BC Hydro calculates the overall reduction in load was approximately an average of two per cent throughout the entire hour.

Businesses can sign up for Earth Hour 2009, and access WWF's promotional ideas and toolkit. Individuals can also sign up online, and in doing so, win a chance for a trip for two to visit the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba.
 
How businesses can support Earth Hour

• Turn out the lights in your buildings, facilities and signage for one hour at 8:30 p.m. on
  Saturday, March 28. For larger buildings, facilities and building managers need to manage the logistics of switching off non-essential lighting for Earth Hour – including neon
  lights – in and around your properties.
• Register your business’ commitment by signing up online.
• Communicate Earth Hour to your tenants and neighbours. For leased properties, building owners should communicate with tenants.
• For those in an office/facility rental situation, tell your property manager, neighbours and others who share the building about Earth Hour.
• Communicate Earth Hour to staff.
• Communicate Earth Hour to your other offices nationally and globally.
• Communicate Earth Hour to your partners, clients, suppliers and other networks.
• Communicate long-term Earth Hour goals – long-term changes to the way we use electricity both in the workplace and at home.
• Communicate Earth Hour to your customers.