Exeter Cathedral switches off for Earth Hour
04.09
23/03/2009
Exeter Cathedral will be switching off its external floodlights between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on 28th March, in support of Earth Hour 2009.
Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), held on the last Saturday of March, that asks households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. This year, the goal is for 1 billion people to take part world-wide.
The Cathedral is also encouraging its members to switch off unnecessary lights and appliances at home, and suggests spending the evening sharing a candlelit dinner with friends.
Clare Bryden, secretary of the Cathedral's environment group, said: "Climate change is already affecting millions of the poorest people on the planet, and is one of the most pressing concerns we face. Even small actions can make a difference, and they can raise awareness and give us the courage to tackle the big things. We need to strengthen our relationships within our local and global communities. Supporting Earth Hour is one simple way in which the Cathedral can link up with other people in Exeter and millions across the world in taking action."
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For more information contact Clare Bryden on 07717 156452, or Canon Tom Honey on 01392 285983.
More information about Earth Hour can be found at http://www.earthhour.org/
Exeter Cathedral set up its Environmental and Social Justice Group in 2008. The group aims to:
- Deepen our relationships with each other, with our neighbours, our planet and with God
- Put environmental and social justice concerns firmly on the Cathedral's agenda
- Seek to minimise the environmental impact of all aspects of the Cathedral's life
Exeter Cathedral is also working with Exeter Diocese and the wider Church of England on its Shrinking the Footprint campaign to address the issue of climate change. For more information on the campaign, see http://www.shrinkingthefootprint.cofe.anglican.org/.
The Cathedral is supporting the Big Switch Off in Exeter, organised by Exeter City Council as its response to Earth Hour. For more information, see www.exeter.gov.uk/bigswitchoff.
