If you want to save Earth from the effects of global warming then start observing Earth Hour with the world today. To raise the awareness about the climate change, Earth Hour will be observed this Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. during that hour, more than 200 downtown Chicago buildings are switching off their lights to increase consciousness about disastrous effects of climate change.

More then 28,000 metropolis/towns are planning to observe second Earth Hour by tuning down their lights. This day is being observed from Great Pyramids to Acropolis and from Eiffel tower to Sear Towers. The awareness about this day is highlighted by the World Wildlife’s fund. This event was observed on March 29, 2008 and this year businesses and residents are asked to switch off their lights for the Earth Hour 2009.

The theme to observe this day is to switch off all unnecessary lights. It may be difficult for the people watching some tournament live or on their TVs. It can be organized like keeping break in that hour for live matches or some tournaments. In homes; it can be managed easily to watch it on TV in dark.

Great brand names are even participating in it like McDonald’s.   To highlight global climate change, this great brand will dim the yellow glow from some Golden Arches by switching off some lights which will make it visible even though.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is the main sponsor of this event. The Chief Executive of WWF, Carter Roberts, said. “Earth Hour makes a powerful statement that the world is going to solve this problem. Everyone is realizing the enormous effect that climate change will have on them.”

As compared to the Earth Hour 2008, seven times more towns will observe the day in 2009. The participation is from almost 400 cities. The awareness about global warming has raised to that much extend that in Copenhagen, Denmark the talks about new treaty about global warming issue has started as Kyoto Protocol will expire in 2012.

The Secretary General of United Nations, Ban Ki-moon said, “Earth Hour is a way for the citizens of the world to send a clear message, they want action on climate change.” He further announced and confirmed the participation of United Nations in this event by turning off the lights at its headquarters in New York on March 28.

To promote the event and the awareness about the Global Warming, many celebrities Pete Wentz and Kevin Bacon like has come forth. Hour iPhone applications has been launched by WWF.  344 % increase searches have been reported by the Yahoo about this event.

Richard Moss is one of the very well known person as he is not only was in the intergovernmental Panel of the Nobel Peace Prize winners and also vice president of WWF climate change desk. According to him new studies are high lighting the adverse effects of the climate change. He said,

“We have satellites and we have ships out at sea and we have monitoring stations set up on buoys in the ocean, we monitor all kinds of things people wouldn’t even think about. The scientific research is showing in all kinds of ways that the climate crisis is worsening.”

Still we have some people who are not in the favor of observing that day and for them Earth Hour is a absurd talk.

A 56 years old ice cream shop owner, Bob Gerenser, residing in Suburban Philadelphia has no belief in Global Warming thing. He considers it a defective notion of science and senseless talk. Another resident of New Hope, Pa., and proprietor of another ice cream shop even plans to light up his store with extra lighting stuff.

2009’s Earth Hour has gathered hold up from worldwide companies, NGO’s, schools, scientists and even celebrities like actress Cate Blanchett (Oscar winner).

Many multinational companies are participating in this event. McDonald’s corporation will dim its golden arches at around 500 places in Midwest. The Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont hotel chains and Coca-Cola Company also aim to take part in this activity.

The New Yorkers will dim the lights of their Empire State Building and Broadway marquees and many other buildings. Almost 200 U.S. cities, towns and villages have promised to participate in this activity.

Some other remarkable efforts include the dimming of 50,000 light bulbs, at the Navy Pier which is a famous tourist spot and 24 focus lights on Sears Tower in USA.

Angela Burnett is a property manager in Sears Tower (most visible building) who says that this type of activity shows our dedication towards sustainable future.

According to the estimations made by The Commonwealth Edison utility, this activity in the last year has decreased the demand for electricity by 5% in Chicago and northern Illinois. This has also reduced CO2 emission by 840,000 pounds in the air.

What I’ll be doing this year’s Earth Hour to switch off all the light in my home and convince my neighbors to do so. It will not only indicate my participation in this activity but also it will help me conveying the message that we human make problems and we should address and solve them as well.