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Where to mark Earth Hour in Singapore

SINGAPORE — People around the globe today will mark Earth Hour, between 8.30pm and 9.30pm in whichever time zone you’re in. The event is held to encourage individuals and communities to turn off their lights for one hour as a symbol of their commitment to protecting the planet.

The Marina Bay Sands hotel and ArtScience Museum (R) is seen before Earth Hour in Singapore March 23, 2013.

The Marina Bay Sands hotel and ArtScience Museum (R) is seen before Earth Hour in Singapore March 23, 2013.

SINGAPORE — People around the globe today will mark Earth Hour, between 8.30pm and 9.30pm in whichever time zone you’re in. The event is held to encourage individuals and communities to turn off their lights for one hour as a symbol of their commitment to protecting the planet.

Now in its 10th year, it was organised by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and famously started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then, it has grown to engage more than 7,000 cities and towns worldwide.

By the way, Earth Hour organisers emphasise that it’s non-essential lights they’re talking about, not lights that affect public safety. “There are a few lights we can say with certainty that should not be turned off, including safety lights in public spaces, lights for aviation guidance, traffic lights, security lights, just to name a few,” organisers posted on the Earth Hour website. “We ask people to use common sense. Before you turn off any lights for public spaces, Earth Hour recommends you check with local officials or community centres.”

So no, it’s not a blackout moment.

But it’s more than just turning off your lights. “Our full ambition is for people to take action beyond the hour. Whether it’s supporting a crowdfunding or crowdsourcing campaign or getting involved in Earth Hour campaigns in their own country, or starting the movement in their own community. The vision is always to do more, so make the light switch the beginning of your journey.”

In the past, several countries have used Earth Hour to push for more environmentally friendly measures and raise awareness among the population.

Uganda, for example, started the world’s first Earth Hour Forest, while in the island of Madagascar, thousands of wood-saving stoves were distributed to families. Argentina used its 2013 Earth Hour campaign to help pass a Senate bill for a 3.4 million-hectare Marine Protected Area in the country, while its neighbour Paraguay used the platform to build public support to gain an extension of the logging moratorium, helping to reduce deforestation.

Solar-powered lights were installed in three villages without electricity in India, even as education programmes for schools were launched in Thailand and Taiwan; while in the United States, hundreds of thousands of LED lights were installed by girl scouts across that country.

Over in Singapore, this year’s Earth Hour will shine a light on forests and bring together three countries — Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia — in united action to protect forests and stop haze pollution.

Earth Hour is also asking supporters to donate their social feeds this year via a campaign, created by Iris Singapore, which features an elderly lady in the future who casts her mind back to 2016 when action was taken to save the planet.

Interestingly, several eateries here have come up with promotions to mark Earth Hour. For instance, SaladStop! has a specially crafted salad called the Shine A Light Salad, made with ingredients sourced locally. According to the company, this salad — available at the Capital Tower and One George street outlets — supports the notion of lowering the carbon footprint by going green and healthy.

Joe & Dough at Capital Tower and Golden Shoe Car Park are offering S$5 off their Brown Keepcups in addition to a free beverage; and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf are giving customers a free reusable cup (or you can buy it for S$1) with any beverage purchased with the Coffee Bean Card during Earth Hour today

Earlier this week, Grain Traders gave a 10 per cent discount on food and coffee to those who brought their own mug. (They also gave a treat to those who returned their GrainTraders paper bags.)

You can keep track of what’s happening around the world during Earth Hour by visiting the Earth Hour website at https://www.earthhour.org/earth-hour-around-world. Meanwhile, here are some places where you can join in the Earth Hour events.

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1. EARTH HOUR. Celebrate Earth Hour this year with an Eco Carnival, and a free concert featuring Singapore musicians and DJs, including Stopgap, DJ Aldrin, Tay Kewei, Alfred Sim, Inch Chua and Dru Chen. There will also be an attempt to set the world record for world’s biggest balancing act. (All you have to do is stand on one foot — and if you like, do the yoga tree pose.) Organised by WWF Singapore. 6pm to 10pm at the Float @ Marina Bay. Admission is free.

2. EAT FOR EARTH HOUR. Guests at The St Regis Singapore are invited to mark the occasion with exclusive dining experience at Brasserie Les Saveurs and LaBrezza, featuring specially crafted menus with sustainable or regionally-sourced produce. Over at Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Dolce Vita will be serving a five-course set dinner (S$128++) made with ingredients from sustainable and environmentally friendly sources.

3. CITY SQUARE MALL. It will be commemorating Earth Hour with activities, including the outdoor screening of Ice Age at its Basement 1 Fountain Square. The mall will also switching off its non-essential lights from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

4. SELETAR MALL. Apart from turning off its non-essential lights, this mall will also host several family activities, including a glittery tattoo and luminous painting session, a puppet show by The Magic Avenue and a Luminous Zumba Party by Amore Fitness & Boutique Spa. Other activities include a Trash-To-Treasure workshop, where you can learn to turn your unwanted items into useful products and a Go Green show.

5. SAFRA EARTH HOUR. Over at Safra Toa Payoh, Mount Faber and Jurong, there will be installations of artworks that make use of items you thought of throwing away.

6. HEARTLAND HAPPENINGS. Three satellite Earth Hour events in the west will be held in conjunction with the main event at the Floating Platform. These are at Block 706, Clementi West Ave 2 (from 6pm), Hong Kah Community Club (from 7pm) and Block 442, Jurong West Street 42 (from 5.45pm). These will have carnival-type game booths with eco themes, as well as performances by students (at Hong Kah and Clementi). ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY HON JING YI

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