The Australian Embassy in Hanoi will switch off its lights on March 28, and urge Hanoians to do the same, for the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour 2009 campaign. Australian ambassador to Vietnam Allaster Cox said political leadership in both Australia and Vietnam has put climate change at the top of the agenda.
There is much that ordinary people can do to help the environment. Earth Hour symbolises this commitment to working together, he said. He also suggested that with the current economic downturn, that people should save both money and the environment by cutting back unnecessary costs – such as turning lights off when not in use, or installing energy efficient light bulbs and other electrical appliances.
WWF Australia started Earth Hour in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes made the simple decision to switch off their lights for one hour. This year, the movement has spread to over 1,700 cities, including, for the first time, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, and HCM City.
At 8.30pm on Saturday, March 28, Hanoi’s icons will join some of the most prominent landmarks in the world, such as the Burj Dubai, the Eiffel Tower and Sydney Harbour Bridge, by switching off their lights.
In Hanoi , lights will go out at Hoan Kiem Lake, The Huc Bridge, Ly Thai Tho’s statue, Ngoc Son Temple, the Opera House and Turtle Tower.
