Hour without power

It's regarded by supporters as the largest volunteer movement in the world, but it doesn't require participants to chain themselves to railings, harass Japanese whaling vessels or raise placards in front of factories. Perhaps that's why Earth Hour, held in cities around the globe between 8:30 and 9:30 pm on the last Saturday of March each year, has been such a hit with the masses. The brainchild of environmental organization the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), it aims to raise awareness about energy conservation, and has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 2006.

Making the switch

In 2010, I was among a relatively small crowd at 2 Kolegas, a live music venue in Chaoyang district, where power was cut to mark the event.

Listening to unplugged, acoustic music and conversing over flickering candles, it was a reminder of how people ought to do their bit for the environment. The countless "Support Earth Hour stickers" plastered all over the venue probably helped, too. Outside, however, glaring ultra neon lights around a drive-in movie theater signified that Beijing wasn't as "down with the environment" as it might have claimed at the time.

Naturally, there are concerns that this year's Earth Hour will be hindered by the glow of city lights, dashing environmentalists' green dreams. Thankfully, the team at WWF Beijing assures us that the capital will be relatively shrouded in darkness come 8:30 pm this Saturday.

"We've secured a good turnout this year, with over 100 [participating Chinese] cities. Last year, there were 86," said Allen Chai, senior communications officer for WWF China. "We are more technologically advanced than ever before. You can see what other people, cities and organizations are doing. We have a tiny team, but we're really proud of all the improvements that have been made."

Shedding light on the cause

Among these "improvements" is revamping the event's China website (www.earthhour.org.cn), which tracks ordinary people's aspirations for the hour. In Beijing, the highlight of Earth Hour will be a group run earlier in the afternoon at the Great Wall at a section yet to be announced.

"I like to think of Earth Hour as a kind of Christmas. It's a time of year people ought to have parties at the office and public events organized by the government," explained Chai. "This year, there are all sort of [Earth Hour] events we don't even know about being planned. In the end, we are just trying to encourage environmentally friendly behavior."

Other environmental organizations like to get in on the act, too. Director general of Greenpeace International, Kumi Nadoo, has vowed to dye his hair green for the Rio +20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June if 10,000 people participate in Earth Hour. Meanwhile, Greenpeace is standing steadfast in official support.

"Earth Hour has been around for a number of years, but now it's gaining momentum and more and more people are aware of the activity," said Li Shuo, climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace East Asia. "There's a mentality shift, particularly in China, towards this bottom-up kind of environmental approach that involves people participating in events."

Strong community support

Beijing's warming approach toward environmental activism hasn't necessarily gone unnoticed by businesses seeking synergy in "going green." Trek Bicycle Beijing has recruited cycling enthusiasts to hit the road in a ride looping around the Forbidden City to be held during Earth Hour this year.

"As a bicycle company, we're naturally about promoting low-carbon [transport] and green thinking, which works well with the idea of Earth Hour. We hope the event will raise public attention and get more people active in environmental protection," said Meng Zhao'an, store manager at Trek Beijing. "Last year, we had some 60 riders participating in an Earth Hour ride. There's been more interest this year. We can't always guarantee results, but taking action is more important than just watching."

To balance environmentalism with entertainment in the form of grassroots music, folk musician Liu Yusi hopes to strike a chord with revelers this Earth Hour by staging a candlelit performance.

"Folk music really doesn't depend on electricity, which really works well with the concept of Earth Hour," said Liu. "In the past, Earth Hour was mainly in Australia [where it originated], but it seems to be gradually raising public awareness [in Beijing]."

Liu sees Beijing's embrace of Earth Hour as uniquely different compared to other cities worldwide.

"Overall, Chinese people seem to see Earth Hour as a large-scale public event, while Westerners seem to prefer marking Earth Hour more individually," Liu said. "For a greater result though, we need more people to join the activity and make long-term efforts in reducing energy consumption."

To find out more about Earth Hour visit: www.earthhour.org.cn

 

Earth Hour in Beijing

Saturday, March 31, 8:30-9:30 pm

Music by candlelight - Liu Yusi will stage an unplugged folk performance at the Hot Cat Club, 46 Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng district.

Night riders - Trek Beijing has organized a 17-kilometer bike ride starting at Chang'an Avenue and circling the Forbidden City. Meet at 8 pm at the Chang'an Grand Theater, 7 Jianguomennei Dajie, Dongcheng district. For more information visit: http://www.douban.com/event/16129893/

Lights out at landmarks - Tiananmen Square along with the National Stadium (aka Bird's Nest) and Water Cube in the Olympic Park will all flick the switch to dwell an hour in darkness. Expect supporters to be clustered around with cameras, candles and possibly costumes if you're heading out.

Back to school - Beijing Normal University will forsake its name and become slightly abnormal by hosting a green extravaganza courtesy of its student clubs and societies. Other Beijing universities have also vowed to get in on the act, so check you local area. Some require registration.