The website states that around the world, Earth Hour was embraced by the global community, transcending race, culture, age and economics as individuals took leadership in their communities in the pursuit of a cleaner and safer planet. In 2011, Earth Hour asked the hundreds of millions of people taking part in the one hour switch-off to take the next step and go beyond the hour, using Earth Hour to commit to ongoing action for the planet. “The Beyond the Hour call to action has been unanimously answered by people worldwide,” said Andy Ridley, co-founder and executive director of Earth Hour. “From school children in Singapore, to Heads of State from the UK, to Australia, Pakistan and Colombia, people have shown that Earth Hour has evolved beyond lights-out. “This year’s event has illustrated without question what can be achieved when people unite with a common purpose and rally to action.” Earth Hour is a global initiative in partnership with WWF. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour to show their support for environmentally sustainable action. The event began in Sydney in 2007, through a partnership between WWF Australia, Leo Burnett and Fairfax Media, when two million people in one city switched off their lights. Earth Hour 2012 will take place on Saturday, March 31.
