Earth Hour 2011 was a huge success with record-breaking numbers participating in turning lights out around the world.
This year, 134 countries and territories joined in, with a huge upsurge of participants from developing nations boosting numbers, and showing that environmental consciousness is something that spans the globe.
Countries such as India, Korea, China, Mongolia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Dubai, Kuwait and dozens more all promoted special green events and environmental programs to coincide with Earth Hour.
Initiated in Australia in 2007 and held annually on the last weekend in March, Earth Hour has garnered massive support around the world with ever-increasing numbers of countries, states, territories, organisations, businesses and individuals joining in by turning off their lights for one hour.
Israel has been a significant participant for the last four years, with large numbers of homes and businesses, as well as government offices, turning out their lights for one hour. Though Israel marks Earth Hour on a different day to the rest of the world – so as not to conflict with the Sabbath, the city of Tel Aviv puts on a large green energy concert that runs off batteries powered by stationary bicycles and a bio-fuel diesel generator.
Even the Israeli military (IDF) getting involved. Lights were turned off at numerous IDF installations, including some of the country’s major bases. As a further demonstration of military support, the stationary bicycles that generated part of the power for the green concert were run by a team of IDF soldiers in Rabin Square.
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http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?199791/Emerging-economies-boost-Earth-Hour-participation