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It's lights out at Connecticut College for Earth Hour 2009

For one hour this Saturday, lights all around the Connecticut College campus will be switched off in a symbolic gesture intended to raise awareness about climate change.

At 8:30 p.m. on March 28, the college will participate in Earth Hour 2009, a global event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that encourages individuals, organizations and city governments to turn off their lights for one hour. The initiative, spearheaded on campus by Chris Krupenye '11 and the college's Renewable Energy Club, was endorsed by Connecticut College President Leo I. Higdon Jr.

"Our students are committed to environmental issues, and I am pleased to support them in this important initiative," President Higdon said. "Connecticut College has a long history of environmental education and activism. Participating in Earth Hour supports our commitment to sustainability."

Students are being encouraged to turn off non-essential and decorative lights for the entire hour and lights in many of the campus's main buildings, including the library, the main dining hall and much of the student center, will be switched off at 8:30 p.m. Essential and safety lighting will remain on.

A designated "flagship" campus, Connecticut College became the first college in the northeast to agree to go dark for the cause. Flagship campuses have the support of the administration and commit to promoting climate conscious decisions.

In 2008, more than 50 million people, including an estimated 36 million in the U.S., participated in Earth Hour, according to WWF. Lights even went out at some of the world's most recognizable landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Sears Tower, Sydney Opera House and Golden Gate Bridge. Already this year, 2,500 cities in 82 countries have agreed to participate, and the lights will go out at the Gaza Pyramids in Egypt, the Acropolis in Athens, the Broadway Theater District and the Seattle Space Needle.

In addition to encouraging students to turn off their lights, Krupenye is organizing a candlelight demonstration on the campus green. Students, he said, will use candles to create the shape of a light bulb, then "extinguish" the light bulb and reorganize to form the number 60, representing each minute the lights will be off.

"This act will send a message to policy-makers around the world that we are committed to legislation that addresses climate change," Krupenye said.



March 26, 2009