CAIRO: A global call for action against climate change urges people around the world to turn off their lights today, March 28, from 8:30 to 9:30, as part of the Earth Hour 2009 campaign. "In 2007, Earth Hour was held in one city, Sydney. A year later, the number of cities had skyrocketed to 371, said Earth Hour Executive Director, Andy Ridley. This year, Earth Hour turned into a global event with more than 2,700 cities in 83 countries committed to participating. Minister of State for Environmental Affairs, Maged George, urged Egyptians to participate in Earth Hour, state-run daily Al-Ahram reported. Egypt's First Lady, Suzanne Mubarak, is also a great advocate of the cause. "United together, we can and will make a difference. I am pleased to offer my support for Earth Hour and I am encouraged by the World Wildlife Fund's sustainability initiatives. Earth Hour heightens awareness and brings hope to the preservation of our shared planet's precious environment today and for generations to come, she said. Egypt will contribute to the campaign by turning off the lights on landmarks such as the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, the Cairo Tower and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The World Bank in 2007 has warned of "catastrophic consequences from global warming in Egypt, explaining that if the Mediterranean Sea rises by one meter, as scientists predict it will by the end of the century, the coastal areas along the Nile Delta will be flooded, forcing about 10.5 percent of the population from their homes and threatening the agricultural sector. Hotels around the capital have also put up signs showing their support for Earth Hour. "We support Earth Hour. Turn off the lights on Saturday March 28 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, reads a sign spread across the gates of Le Meridien Heliopolis. Organizations such as advertising agency Leo Burnett, and the National Association for the Protection of the Environment & Green Egypt, have also given their support for the cause online. Numerous groups on Facebook have also encouraged Egyptians to participate. According to the campaign's website, people around the world will use their light switch as their vote; that is switching the lights off is considered a vote for Earth, and leaving them on is a vote for global warming. The World Wildlife Fund has a target of one billion votes, the results will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in 2009. Participants around the world would have to record their votes to make them count. According to the website, recording your vote goes as follows: if you take a photo, upload it on Earth Hour's Flickr group; if you record a video, upload it on its YouTube page; if you write a live blog post, tag it with 'earthour' or 'voteearth'; or if you update your Twitter on the night and write '#earthhour' or '#voteearth' and your '#location' in your update to tag it.
