Commerce City and Earth Hour

From melting glaciers to increasingly intense weather patterns, we know that climate change is already impacting life on our planet.

On Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm, Commerce City will take part in Earth Hour—the world’s largest global climate change event. By simply turning off all non-essential lighting for one hour at our company buildings and in our own homes, we will join tens of millions of concerned citizens throughout the world in calling for action to save our planet for future generations.

Earth Hour is an event led by the World Wildlife Fund. In 2008, more than 50 million people in 370 cities around the world took part, as the lights dimmed at Sydney’s Opera House, Rome’s Coliseum, the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. Even the Google homepage went dark for the day.

Energy efficiency isn’t just good for the bottom line. We all have a stake in the future of our planet and must learn to operate in ways that don’t deplete our world’s limited natural resources.

We hope you’ll join us in the important and inspiring effort and encourage your own employees, customers and suppliers to take part.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to Go Commerce City! Proud Citizen of this City

Erin NW

Anonymous said...

I encourage all of my friends in River Run to participate on this.

Very Important.

Ferrel

Anonymous said...

official earth hour website

www.earthhour.org

Great Idea! I will do this for real.

Anonymous said...

Gateway News, thank you for the information about this. I learned a lot about this event. Thank You.

Jasmine Bernard

Anonymous said...

I agree with everyone else.

Step in the right direction, way to go Commerce City!

Anonymous said...

Good Job Jason!

Lori and Matt

Anonymous said...

10 Things a Company Can Do to Support Earth Hour

On March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm, tens of millions of people around the world will turn out their lights
for one hour — Earth Hour—to demonstrate their concern for our living planet and send a loud
message to our leaders that they support action on climate change. Here are a few ideas for ways
your organisation can support and publicise Earth Hour:

1. Hold a contest among employees with a prize for the best ideas for reducing waste and
cutting energy consumption in your company’s daily operations.
2. Ask your business partners, suppliers and industry peers to support Earth Hour. Hang
banners and posters so that your support is visible to all who enter your offices or buildings.
3. Turn your website “go black” during the week leading up to Earth Hour; make all white
backgrounds black and all black text white. (Google did this in 2008!) Post a blurb about the
event on your homepage that links to the Earth Hour home page.
4. Hold a company-wide event or celebration for employees the week proceeding Earth Hour
and serve “green-themed” refreshments. Host an Earth Hour “lights out” party for your staff, customers and vendors on the night of the event. Be sure to turn out at 8:30 pm local time.
5. Schedule a meeting or send an email to employees from the Chairman or CEO explaining
why the company is supporting Earth Hour and urge them to “turn out” at home. The entire
executive team, including the CEO, should pledge to participate as well.
6. Create an Earth Hour section on the company intranet where employees can post ideas for
celebrating Earth Hour and photos following up the event.
7. Hold employee contests with awards going to the staff member who recruits the most people
to sign a pledge to say they will participate or who comes up with the most creative
promotional idea for Earth Hour.
8. Ask the company cafeteria to hold a special candlelight lunch the week of Earth Hour,
featuring dishes prepared using organic and sustainably products to remind employees about
the event.
9. Create special TV, radio and newspaper ads to showcase your company’s participation in
Earth Hour and to urge others to join.
10. Issue a news release and contact news media and radio stations and tell them what your
company is doing to support Earth Hour and why.

I LOVE MY PLANET said...

power wasted while computers are sitting idle overnight adds up, and one study has finally tried to measure it. The tally: An estimated $2.8 billion wasted on excess energy costs each year in the U.S. alone.

Jennie said...

I think 30% is a little low. I would say more like 40% is more accurate in northern range participants.

Unknown said...

I wanted to personally thank everyone that participated in Earth Hour on Saturday evening. I am so proud of our wide participation!

This was a great opportunity for Commerce City to demonstrate our attention to energy efficiency and energy conservation.

Stay tuned for more efforts related to energy conservation and sustainability from the City and City Council in the coming months!

Jason McEldowney
Councilman-at-large

Erin NW said...

For the first year I think we all did a pretty good job. Next year will be even better.

Erin NW