Larry O’Brien

Mayor O’Brien unveils Earth Hour bannerOttawa – Mayor Larry O’Brien unveiled a three storey high outdoor banner at City Hall today in support of Earth Hour, the world’s largest global climate change event. The banner, sponsored by Hydro Ottawa, reminds residents to turn out the lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28.”Last year, Ottawa was one of the first cities in Canada to support Earth Hour,” said Mayor O’Brien. “Once again, we are proud to be participating in this global call to action and to demonstrate our commitment to fighting climate change. As the capital city of a G8 nation, Ottawa has an important leadership role and I hope every resident and business will join me in turning off their lights on March 28.”Earth Hour is a global campaign initiated by the World Wildlife Fund in Sydney, Australia in 2007. For the second year running, the City and Hydro Ottawa are encouraging Ottawans to get involved by signing up online at ottawa.ca and registering their support for the fight against climate change by participating on March 28.“Ottawa residents and businesses truly embraced Earth Hour in 2008, making a powerful statement about our commitment as a community to use electricity wisely, and do our part for the environment,” said Rosemarie Leclair, President and CEO of Hydro Ottawa. “We’re hoping that even more will participate in 2009, and we’re making a special effort to involve children and youth, who are often the agents of change.”This year, Earth Hour organizers hope to reach one billion people in more than 1,000 cities around the world. Through their participation, individuals can learn that it’s possible to make a positive difference in their environment.Earth Hour lasts only 60 minutes but the City has programs to reduce energy use in its buildings and facilities 365 days a year. The City’s energy investment strategy, adopted in 2002, has consistently decreased energy consumption per facility, and resulted in a $1.3-million reduction in the City’s annual utility bill.