TAGUM CITY—Residents, local government officials and environment advocates rode bicycles on Saturday evening to join the global observance of Earth Hour 2015.
Bike enthusiasts assembled at Rotary Park, 6:00 p.m in what was dubbed as “Night Ride.”
“This is the city’s contribution to the global efforts calling for concrete and doable actions against climate change. We hope that this will raise the awareness that climate change is everybody’s concern,” said City Councilor Francisco Remitar, chairperson on Committee on Environment.
At 8:30 p.m, the city was gripped in total darkness as residents and business establishments switched off their lights for an hour.
“All is requested to conserve energy and show solidarity for our environment. We do hope that they cooperate on this global endeavour,” Remitar explains.
College professor, Riza Rontayozo, 35, says that she invited her whole class to join the activity. “I am hoping that they will learn to be pro-active in any efforts to protect our planet Earth. I want to teach them that it’s their duty to defend and protect the environment.”
In a statement Friday, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said that “the significance of Earth Hour is rooted in the larger context of climate change. When we douse our lights and conserve energy produced from carbon fuels, we help mitigate climate change.”
He called on Filipinos to once again demonstrate their eagerness to fight climate change by participating in this year’s Earth Hour.
“By adopting habits and lifestyles that lessen the burning of fossil fuels, we adapt to climate change. This is the essence of Earth Hour, the global switch-off, when we embrace the dark for at least an hour, so our future may become sustainably brighter,” said Paje.
In a video message, UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon said “climate change is a people problem. People cause climate change and people suffer from climate change. People can also solve climate change.”
He adds “this December in Paris, the United Nations is bringing nations together to agree a new, universal and meaningful climate agreement. It will be the culmination of a year of action on sustainable development.”
Some 7,000 cities in 172 countries are expected to take part in the world’s largest ever demonstration, which has grown from a single World Wildlife Fund event in Sydney in 2007. (davatoday.com)
