Hub among 1,000 cities to turn out lights for climate change

By Michele Richinick, Globe Correspondent

Lights on the famous Citgo sign, Zakim Bridge, Prudential Center, John Hancock Tower, and other local landmarks will "go dark" for one hour this month as Boston joins cities across the world in a climate-change campaign.

More than 1,000 cities in 80 countries are expected to participate in Earth Hour on March 28, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. World Wildlife Fund, the event's sponsor, is asking individuals, businesses, governments, and organizations to turn off their lights for one hour to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.

"We are asking people to vote with their light switch," said Dan Forman, a spokesman for World Wildlife Fund.

"For every light they turn off, it is in effect a vote for action on climate change."

Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced Boston's participation in the campaign yesterday at a news conference.

"We are very happy everyone in the mayor's office is fully on board," Forman said. "Boston has always been thought of as a progressive-thinking city. For them to come out and take action on climate change and rally the citizens behind this shows [Boston is] making a commitment to join a global deal when it comes to climate change."

Other participating US cities include Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Dallas, Forman said. The town of Acton is also on the list, which Forman said grows "by leaps and bounds" each day. Universities, including Harvard, have signed up to campaign for the cause.

Two million people participated in the first Earth Hour in 2007, which began in Sydney.

Last year, the event went global, with more than 400 cities around the world participating. Lights on structures including the Golden Gate Bridge, Sydney Opera House, and Empire State Building also went dark last year, as well as the Google homepage.

Fifty million people around the world - 36 million in the United States - shut off their lights to raise awareness last year.

Source: The Boston Globe