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Meilan, a panda at the Chengdu Panda Base, to be the Earth Hour Global Ambassador

Meilan, a panda at the Chengdu Panda Base, to be the Earth Hour Global Ambassador

Write: Frederick [2011-05-20]
On Feb. 11st, 2010, panda Meilan, who just returned from ZooAtlanta, was officially chosen to be the Earth Hour Global Ambassador. As we all know, the treasured panda is WWF s logo, but what you may not know is that the first Chinese national reserve was sponsored by WWF specifically to protect giant pandas. Thus the selection of Meilan by the WWF is the end result of a long and fruitful relationship.
Earth Hour is a global initiative. On Sat. March 27 at 8:30 P.M., WWF has ask that the entire world turns off their lights for one hour as a symbolic gesture of everyone s determination to combat climate change.

Meilan, a panda at the Chengdu Panda Base, to be the Earth Hour Global Ambassador

Chengdu was the first city to sign up for the Earth Hour event. Chengdu is also the hometown of pandas. As one of the treasured species of the world, the panda, which has been on the planet for the last 8 million years, has always been the logo for WWF. Today, Meilan and WWF have joined forces for earth hour and the future.
Mr. Ye Lang, spokesman for the Chengdu city government said Panda Meilan who just came back, will join in the Earth Hour with 13 million Chengdu citizens. This activity also sends a message of confidence and vision for the development of a low-carbon economy and the harmonious development between humans and nature, building Chengdu to be a garden city in the world.
Chengdu citizens will lead other citizens and countries which are willing to attend this activity, such as Paraguay, Mongolia, Madagascar and Czech Republic, all of which are also first time participants in the Earth Hour event.
The global citizenry has realized if we want to fight climate change, the public needs to act. Thus the message of Earth Hour must be spread. There are new countries and cities signing up every day, promising to turn their lights off for an hour on Marth 27th, 2010.
One of originators of the Earth Hour concept, Mr. Andy Ridley, declared that the people of the world have obviously decided to take the lead in solving global climate change, because entire world has made a promise and gives a lot of importance to Earth Hour. He said: Earth Hour 2010 has proved that all members of the global village would like to adopt low- carbon lifestyles, and shows the public s determination of dealing with climate change to their leaders. Nothing is more important than the Earth Hour, if we hope to unite people from all around the world to become involved in the climate change problem. The Earth Hour gathers together communities, commercial activity and individuals to show their determination to solve the problem. Now it s time to take action together.
WWF director-general Mr. Jim Leape said: It was an honor that Chengdu could lead the Earth Hour charge. China is one the fastest-growing economies in the world. I really appreciate this southwest city in China, Chengdu s participation, and that panda Meilan could be the "Earth Hour" Global Ambassador. Chengdu is a core member of Global Earth Hour 2010.
Earth Hour originated in Sydney, Australia in 2007and it grew from only one city to a global activity which includes 88 countries, 4100 towns, and over a million participants. It could be said that this is the greatest instance of volunteerism over the world. Some symbolic buildings, such as the Egyptian pyramids, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, the Acropolis, and even Las Vegas, the city of lights, will turn it all off for Earth Hour.
Panda Mei Lan will be listed as the honorary ambassador of Earth Hour, alongside Coldplay, and Australian actress Kate Blanchet.
We are ready for Earth Hour 2010. It will be a highly symbolic gesture in the fight against climate change.