Han Ximin
INTERNATIONAL Earth Hour will be celebrated in Shenzhen with offices and residences being encouraged to turn off lights between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
Celebrations will include an acoustic concert in the Civic Center Square. The concert will mark the beginning of Shenzhen s Low Carbon Year campaign.
In an open letter to the public, the Shenzhen environmental protection authority called on residents to turn off all lights for an hour in offices and households and unplug appliances such as mobile phone chargers, TVs, microwaves, MP3 players, computer monitors and printers.
We hope to send a strong message during Earth Hour that citizens of our globalized world should care about the future of the planet, said the letter.
The city s volunteer association will organize a countdown at Lianhua Hill Park, inviting environmentalists to share their experiences. It is hoped that 10,000 residents and 1,000 companies will participate.
Switching off is a simple act that makes a big difference. There is only one Earth and we should take care of it, said Lucy Su, a resident who called for more people to participate in the event.
Dozens of hotels will also support a low-carbon environment by turning off unnecessary lights. The Shenzhen Green Starlit Alliance, a student environmental protection organization, will arrange for students from eight schools to join in a series of environmental protection activities.
