(MIAMI, FL.)-- On Saturday, March 29, 2008 from 8 to 9 pm, the City of Miami invites residents and businesses to voluntarily switch off their lights in support of Earth Hour, a global event that makes a powerful statement on climate change. Across the world, from Miami to San Francisco, Bangkok to Sydney, Tel Aviv to Copenhagen, cities are seizing this opportunity to demonstrate how we can all work together to make a positive impact in the fight against this global issue.

“I encourage you to join in this historic event by pledging to turn off all non-essential lights on March 29th, at 8 pm,” said Mayor Diaz. “Earth Hour is just one step we can each take to support environmental sustainability across the City. It is a call to action on climate change and a more sustainable Miami.”

The Earth Hour initiative is part of Mayor Diaz’s Green Agenda, which includes an aggressive push to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions, promotion of green buildings, energy efficiency upgrades to city buildings, implementation of a Tree Master Plan to increase the city’s tree canopy to 30%, and other environmental initiatives. 

To encourage longer term benefits, all participants in Earth Hour are being asked to replace older light bulbs with highly-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, and to pledge to take actions to reduce their energy consumption on a daily basis.

The City of Miami will turn off only non-essential lights for one hour. All lights impacting public safety will remain on, including street lights, and lights in public spaces, hospitals or emergency services will remain on for the duration of the event. For more information about the Mayor’s green agenda and the Miami Office of Sustainable Initiatives (MSI), please visit www.MiamiGov.com/msi.

To make your pledge to support Earth Hour, please visit http://www.earthhour.org/.