News Archive

The University of Western Australia will support the third annual Earth Hour at 8.30pm on Saturday (March 28).

Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson advised staff and students to participate by turning off all non-essential lighting and stand-by power sources before leaving the University premises on Friday evening.

He also suggested they turn off non-essential power at home for the hour, discuss ways to reduce long-term emissions at work and home and visit https://www.earthhour.org/ to sign up to participate. The floodlighting on one of Perth's most recognisable buildings, UWA's Winthrop Hall, will also be turned off.

"Reducing energy consumption is a key objective of the University and we're very pleased to take part," Professor Robson said. "Our University will also host the Perth Sun Fair on April 5 to showcase sustainable living with dozens of exhibits on reducing our carbon footprint."

Earth Hour started in Sydney in 2007 with 2.2 million homes and businesses turning off lights for an hour. This year, it is hoped that one billion people around the world will take part, sending a clear message to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen starting in November.

Almost 3,000 cities, towns and municipalities in more than 80 countries have signed up to what organisers describe as the ‘first global election - between Earth and global warming'.

Media references

Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716