The great switch-off for Dubai's 'Earth Hour'

(CRAIG SCARR)   

Saturday night will see Dubai darker and quieter than usual when the emirate takes part in Earth Hour for the very first time at 8pm.

Created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to take a stand against global warming, perhaps the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action, instigating a possible drop in energy consumption of as much as 20 per cent.

And Saturday night, after Dubai becomes the first city in the Middle East to support the initiative, thousands of lights and electrical devices will be turned off, thanks to a host of companies and organisations signing up.

Dubai Holding and the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority have linked up to lead Earth Hour, which also has the support of Dubai Municipality, the Dubai International Financial Centre, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai World Trade Centre, Nakheel, Emaar, Tecom Investments, Union Properties and Leo Burnett, among others.

Fadel Ali, Executive Chairman of Dubai Holding Operations, said: “We are asking everyone in Dubai to switch off all non-essential lights for one hour, at 8pm tomorrow to send a message around the world that we have the power to take action against global warming.”

Among those participating  is one of Dubai’s biggest icons: the Burj Al Arab. Other Jumeirah hotels are also taking part, says spokesman Khalid Al Shafar. “Jumeirah Group has committed to switch the exterior lights off at the Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel and other hotels. And we’ll be running an education programme for our guests.”

Hilton Hotels has also announced its support, with 44 of its hotels in the Middle East and Africa switching off non-essential lights and appliances for one hour. “We took the decision to expand the initiative across our regional portfolio because of the universality of this campaign, which gives us the opportunity to do something relatively simple that has serious and lasting ramifications,” said Jean-Paul Herzog, President, Hilton Hotels, Middle East and Africa.

Hilton has committed to the WWF’s full roster of recommendations, including limiting lighting in restaurants to candlelight and turning off all exterior lights. The Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort is championing the drive with candlelit dinners at its three main restaurants.

While many hotels and institutions will be participating on Saturday night, it will be business as usual for  the city’s major malls and cinemas. Television will also remain unaffected with major networks, such as Showtime, having no plans to reschedule programming.

One major Dubai event happening on the night is the Dubai World Cup, and according to one of the organisers, who wished to remain anonymous, the racing extravaganza will not be affected, although officials are considering dimming the lights at Nad Al Sheba.

Earth Hour made its debut last March after Sydney, Australia, made a powerful statement about the greatest contributor to global warming – coal-fired electricity – by turning off its lights. Over 2.2 million Sydney residents and 2,100 businesses took part, leading to a 10.2 per cent citywide reduction in energy.  One city’s stand caught the world’s attention and 24 cities around the world are taking part this year, encouraging businesses, communities and individuals to take tiny steps to cut emissions on an ongoing basis.

Taking action is not difficult and can be as simple as turning off a mobile phone charger when it is not in use, switching off your television or CD player, rather than leaving it on stand-by.

If everyone does their bit,  energy reduction could be achieved. Visit www.earthhour.org for information.

Everyone can do their bit

All the big companies are doing it, so make sure you don’t forget

Organise a party with “in the dark” games, and a barbeque. You can even make glow-in-the-dark badges for the kids 

Go for a romantic walk on the beach or take your dog out for a walk