District to be flagship city in Earth Hour 2009

March 11, 3:43 PMDC Green Business ExaminerMatt Roberts

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US Capital in Washington D.C.

The District of Columbia will be a flagship city in Earth Hour 2009, a global event in which tens of millions of citizens, businesses and government leaders will turn off their lights to make a statement about the urgent need for action on climate change.

Beginning at 8:30 p.m. on March 28th, the District will turn off non-essential lighting on many buildings and landmarks, including four facilities owned by the District government. The four facilities are:

• John A. Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW)
• Frank D. Reeves Center for Municipal Affairs (2000 14th Street, NW)
• One Judiciary Square (441 4th Street, NW)
• DMV Southwest Service Center (95 M Street, SW)

“The way we light our buildings is a major factor in any city’s carbon footprint,” said George S. Hawkins, director of the District Department of the Environment. “Earth Hour is a symbolic but important step in showing the world we’re serious about the climate.”

“Turning off non-essential lights in the Wilson Building and other signature District Government buildings is a symbolic measure announcing OPM’s broad effort to reduce lighting and other types of energy consumption in all our buildings,” said Robin-Eve Jasper, Director of the Office of Property Management. “At 8:30 p.m. on March 28, it won’t take a single kilowatt of electricity for the District to be a shining example for the world.”

Emergency lighting will remain on as required by law and regulation.

More than 850 cities in 80 countries have committed to turning out for Earth Hour. In the United States, the District joins Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York and San Francisco in dimming its skyline to cast a vote for action on the climate crisis.