Lynda Hong / Dylan loh / Evelyn Choo Channel NewsAsia 27 Mar 10;
SINGAPORE: Thousands of individuals and organisations in Singapore observed Earth Hour on Saturday evening for the second year running.
Organisers said more people were involved in the big switch-off this year.
The symbolic gesture to combat climate change was highlighted when skyscrapers and buildings darkened for an hour from 8:30pm.
Non-essential lights surrounding various Singapore icons such as the Merlion Park and Singapore River were also turned off.
With this year's slogan being "Earth Hour, Every Hour", organisers want participants to go beyond the hour and adopt a sustainable lifestyle.
"So what we are encouraging is that people make adjustments to their daily lives to reduce carbon emissions," said Amy Ho, managing director of the World Wide Fund for Nature, Singapore. "So it's not just about these 60 minutes on March 27, but it's really what you do on a regular, a daily basis."
Walking the talk, the main event at Esplanade Park was entirely powered by biodiesel from recycled cooking oil.
Celebrities also joined in the campaign against climate change.
"Everyone playing a small part. I guess more parts will become a big part," a participant said. "It encourages the governments and the policy makers to actually do something."
Other entities in Singapore also took part in Earth Hour.
Singapore's premier shopping belt got into the act with at least 10 shopping centres along Orchard Road switching off their facade lights and other non-essential lighting.
New shopping centre ION Orchard marked the occasion by having a concert of its own.
Singapore's Changi International Airport took part in this year's Earth Hour for the second time.
Decorative and non-critical operational lights were either switched off or dimmed throughout the terminals at 8.30pm.
Trials were conducted beforehand to ensure airport operations would not be compromised.
The Changi Airport Group said the one-hour effort results in energy savings equivalent to the total amount of electricity consumed by a four-room HDB apartment over three months.
Earth Hour was also observed by students of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and residents living in the area.
Volunteers illuminated the number 60 with their mobile phones - now a powerful symbol for environmental conservation worldwide.
This is the second time the campus is dimming its lights.
Members of the university's environmental awareness group hope this will be more than a one-hour affair.
"Earthlink NTU has launched two other campaigns to encourage students to use less straws and to use the stairs whenever possible," said Adrian Koh, president of Earthlink NTU.
"We hope that through these campaigns to encourage fellow students to reduce resources and energy wastage, so that they know that everyday actions can help save the earth."
- CNA/yb
Earth Hour takes off at Changi Airport
Straits Times 28 Mar 10;
Announcing the arrival of...
...energy-saving measures at Changi Airport.
The efforts were made last night to mark Earth Hour.
The airport was among other establishments islandwide, from hotels to shopping malls, which did their part to raise environmental awareness from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.
At the airport, decorative lights, for example, were switched off and non-critical operational lights were dimmed.
The payoff?
The one-hour effort at Changi's terminals is estimated to yield energy savings equivalent to the total amount of electricity used by a typical four-room HDB apartment over almost three months.
The Earth Hour contribution was most marked at Terminal 3, where lights at the departure hall and departure/transit mall were dimmed by 80 per cent.
Outside of Earth Hour, the airport has also put up solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Budget Terminal.
They generate about 950 kilowatt hours of energy a day, resulting in energy savings of some $60,000 a year.
