Schools sign up for Earth Hour

Schools across the city are signing up to support the spectacular Earth Hour lights-out event to celebrate the planet and the need to protect it.

The move comes after Swansea Council announced it will be marking the event on Saturday, March 19, at 8.30pm, by turning off lights at the Guildhall and Civic Centre.

Now around 30 schools across the county have signed up too and are planning activities including classroom events in the run up to Earth Hour and encouraging pupils to switch off at home on the night.

Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, welcomed schools participation and said he hoped they would inspire residents to be part of this stunning world-wide phenomenon as well.

He said: “Lights going out at our Civic Centre and council offices in the Guildhall alongside people taking part in schools and homes across the city sends a powerful message about just how much we all care about the environment in Swansea.

“It’s important because it makes us think about our environment and how we all  have a role in protecting our wonderful planet for generations to come.”

Earth Hour’s unique display of darkness has become a global phenomenon with hundreds of millions of individuals coming together each year.

Last year Swansea schools were among just over 4,800 across the UK who took part in Earth Hour 2015.

Cherry Duggan, Head of Schools and Youth at WWF-UK, said: “It’s great to see so many young people celebrating Earth Hour. We’re delighted that Swansea schools are taking part and we hope that they’ll inspire other schools to get involved.

“WWF’s Earth Hour is more than just a symbolic hour of darkness. It’s a chance for people, both young and old, to come together and send out a global message about protecting our planet.”

Everyone can sign up for WWF’s Earth Hour 2016. For more information and to sign up please visit wwf.org.uk/earthhour

About Earth Hour

Earth Hour, organised by WWF, is the world’s biggest celebration for our amazing planet.

In the UK last year, over 10 million people took part, along with over 4,800 schools, 200 landmarks and thousands of businesses and organisations. Iconic landmarks including Big Ben and Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Blackpool Tower, The Kelpies, Caerphilly Castle and many more joined the global lights out.

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, with more than five million supporters and a global network active in more than one hundred countries. Through our engagement with the public, businesses and government, we focus on safeguarding the natural world, creating solutions to the most serious environmental issues facing our planet, so that people and nature thrive.  Find out more about our work, past and present at wwf.org.uk.