On 26 March 2011, the citizens of the world will participate in Earth Hour by switching off all non-essential lights and appliances across the globe. The Two Oceans Aquarium will acknowledge this initiative by having its website go “dark” for this time.

If you check our website on 26 March between 20h30 and 21h30, you will be greeted by a black screen and a short note explaining that the Two Oceans Aquarium supports Earth Hour and that the website will be up and running again after 21h30.

Besides being energy conscious during Earth Hour, the Aquarium encourages everyone to adopt energy-saving practices in their daily lives. Some tips include:

• Change your lights to energy efficient bulbs. They last longer and use less electricity. Remember to dispose of the bulbs, regular or energy efficient, in the correct way.
• Check your geyser temperature. Anything above 60˚C is a waste of energy and money.
• Install a geyser blanket and switch the geyser off when not needed.
• Match the size of the pot to the size of the stove plate. This way there will be no unnecessary heat loss.
• Check the seals on your fridge and freezer doors. The better the doors seal, the less energy is needed to keep the inside cool.
• Don’t use the standby mode. Appliances in standby mode still draw electricity! Switch them off completely.

So what is Earth Hour?

>From the Earth Hour website:

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2-million individuals and more than 2 000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. A year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50-million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4 000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.

Earth Hour 2010 was the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.